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Country Background

Serbia is located in Southeastern Europe and is bounded by Hungary, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. Serbia further claims to share a border with Albania through the currently disputed territory of Kosovo (a country whose independence the U.S. recognizes but the United Nations has yet to acknowledge). The capital of Serbia is Belgrade (Beograd). The official language is Serbian. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 7.1 million. Serbia is a predominantly Christian country, with about 85% of the population Orthodox. Islam is a minority religion in Serbia, and Muslims make up about 3% of the country's population. Serbia requested observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 2008.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Serbia is referred to as a parliamentary republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Serbian Constitution was ratified in 2006 following the breakup of the short-lived Serbia-Montenegro and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Serbia operates as a civil law system in which the Constitution, statues, and ministerial laws along with learned commentary are the principal sources of law. The Serbian system of government has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Serbia.

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Serbia.

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Serbia has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

• Legislative
  • Narodna Skupština [National Assembly]
  • Official Gazette
• Executive
  • Government Portal
• Judicial
• Supreme Court of Cassation  

 Unofficial Databases

• FAOLEX: Serbia (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture, and renewable natural resources.
• NATLEX: Serbia (International Labour Organization) database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights.
• RefWorld Legal Information: Serbia (UNHCR)
• WIPO Lex: Serbia (World Intellectual Property Organization)

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].