CRIMINAL LAW REACTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES - INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND SERBIAN LEGISLATION

Abstract

In the paper, the author deals with the analysis of the normative international legal and domestic criminal

legal framework for environmental protection. The importance of the criminal law protection of the

environment was highlighted, with the relevant international documents in this area that Serbia ratified. The

basic characteristics of the group of criminal acts whose object of protection is the environment, as

prescribed by the Criminal Code of Serbia from 2006, are listed. The author particularly emphasizes the

standards of protection, developed in practice by the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter: the

Court) in terms of proving the commission of criminal acts of environmental crime, as well as the specifics

in terms of the burden of proof of these criminal acts. The author concludes that the aforementioned

standards from the practice of the Court should be used in the jurisprudence of domestic courts.