GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR EMBAJADA DE ESPAÑA EN BELGRADO Publisher Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM Kneza Miloša 4, 11103 Belgrade www.yucom.org.rs For the publisher Milan Antonijevic Edited Ana Jankovic Jovanovic Design, layout and print Dosije studio, Belgrade Translation Ivan Djuric Circulation 200 ISBN 978-86-83209-78-1 “The Guide for the Exercise of Right to a Court Interpreter – translator” has been prepared by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, with guidelines obtained from Ms Georgia Harley (expert in judicial reform) Mr Srdjan Svircev (a public sector expert) and Ms Marina Matic Boskovic (advisor for judicial reform). GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR изацц у публикацији CIP – Каталогизација от Народна библиотека тека Србије, Београд 347.973(497.11)(035) VODIČ za ostvarivanje pr nje prava na su a sudskog tumača – anko prevodioca / [priredila Ana Jankovićović Jovanović]. – Beograd : Komitet pravnika za ljudska prava va rav a – YUCOM, 2018 (Beograd : Dosije studio). – 19 str. ; 20 cm Tiraž 200. 76-7 ISBN 978-86-83209-76-7 анов Ана [приређивач, сакупљач] 1. Јанковић Јовановић, купљ судс a) Право на судског тумача – Парнични поступак С к – Србија – Приручници ци SR- 264149516 COBISS.SR-ID GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 7 2. LANGUAGE IN A COURT PROCEEDING ................................................................... 9 3. COURT INTERPRETER ..................................................................................................... 11 4. RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER ............................................................................. 13 4.1. Exercising a right to a court interpreter in a civil procedure ............................................ 13 4.1.1. Example of a request for a court interpreter .............................................................. 17 4.1.2. Example of a request for a court intepreter for a person with impaired hearing .................................................................................................................. 19 4.2. Costs of the exercise of a right to a court interpreter ......................................................... 20 GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 7 1. INTRODUCTION The Guide for the Exercise of Right to a Court Interpreter – translator is intended for parties (plaintiff and respondent) and other participants in civil procedures so that everyone is afforded equal and active participation in a court proceeding. A multi-donation trust fund for support to the judicial sector in Serbia, in making theFunctional Analysis of the Judiciary in Serbia in 2014, notesas observed flaws, among other things, an inade- quate approach to information on those who provide translation services, i.e. court interpreters, as well as therequirement for this service to be reasonably priced for an effective access to justice i.e. the judiciary. The Guide for the Exercise of Right to a Court Interpreter (translator) should serve to raise awareness of the role and right to a court interpreter, by simply providing basic information on interpreters, the manner of their engagement, as well as on parties’ costs if they exercise this right. Thus, parties and other participants in civil procedures can be instructed about the use of this right. The main goal of the Guide is to enable access to justice for persons who are not in command of the Serbian language or a national minority language in courts where that language is inofficial use, as well as for deaf, mute and blind persons, by giving instructions on how to use the right to a court interpreter in civil procedures. The Guide for the Exercise of Rightto a Court Interpreter – translator has been prepared by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, with guidelines obtained from Ms Georgia Harley (expert in judicial reform) Mr Srdjan Svircev (a public sector expert) and Ms Marina Matic Boskovic (advisor for judicial reform). GUIDE 8 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR LANGUAGE GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 9 2. LANGUAGE IN A COURT PROCEEDING “All of us may encounter the judicial system at one point in our lives, whether we wish to or not. In such situations, it is important to know what rights and obligations we have so that we could, in the best possible way, ensure a fair course of a proceeding and the response of the state in the protection of our rights.” Self-Representation Guide, Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, 2017 In courts in the Republic of Serbia, it is the Serbian language and the Cyrillic script that is in offi- cial use, while in areas where national minorities live in a national minority language as well is in official use. It is important to note that everyone has the right to use the language they understand i.e. a party or another participant in a court proceeding is entitled to court interpreter. However, all the written communication with the court shall be in Serbian and in the Cyrillic script (i.e. in the national minority which is in official use) but a party or a participant in a proceeding can use the services of a court interpreter for translation of documents, other written materials, as well as for oral translation for the hearings. GUIDE 10 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 11 3. COURT INTERPRETER A court interpreter is a person with an advanced knowledge of a foreign language or signs for blind, deaf or mute people, which, as such, is called upon to translate for a party or for another participant in a court proceeding who does not speak the Serbian language or a national minority language which is in official use, or for deaf, mute and blind persons. A person fulfilling the requirements for a court interpreter applies to the Ministry of Justice for the purpose of entry in the register of permanent court interpreters. A list of permanent court interpreters, with their contact details, is available from the Ministry of Justice’s website. Court interpreters can be:  permanent court interpreters for certain foreign languages  permanent court interpreters of signs for blind, deaf or mute persons. GUIDE 12 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR HOW TO REACH TRANSLATOR? GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 13 4. RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER A party or another participant in a court proceeding who does not speak the Serbian lan- guage or a national minority language which is in official use, or a deaf, mute and blind per- son is entitled to a court interpreter. This right has been recognized as every person’s right of access to justice, one of the methods of exercising this right being enabling one to use a language they understand in a court proceeding. 4.1. Exercising a right to a court interpreter in a civil procedure In order that a court should provide a court interpreter for a party or for another participant in a civil procedure, it is necessary that a REQUEST be submitted to the judge. This means that it is necessary to bear that in mind, i.e. the court shall not provide a translation ex officio. Note: A party or another participant in a civil procedure who requests of the court to hire a court interpreter shall bear the court interpreter’s costs and shall pay an award to the court interpreter for their work. GUIDE 14 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR Blind, deaf and mute persons are entitled to a court intepreter free of charge. A request for a court interpreter shall be submitted to the court in writing or verbally at a hearing. After the submitted request, the court shall order the party or another participant in the procedure to paythe amount of translation costs into the court’s account unless an interpreter is sought for deaf, mute and blind persons, who are entitled to an intepreter free of charge. GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 15 EXAMPLES OF A REQUEST FOR A COURT INTERPRETER GUIDE 16 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 4.1.1. Primer zahteva za obezbeđenje sudskog tumača ZAHTEV STRANKE DA JOJ SE U POSTUPKU PRED SUDOM OBEZBEDI TUMAČ ZA RUSKI JEZIK OSNOVNOM SUDU U NOVOM SADU TUŽILAC: Petar Petrović, iz Novog Sada, ul. Cara Dušana 35, koga zastupa advokat Ester Domonji, iz Novog Sada, ul. Sutjeska 7 TUŽENI: Olga Šipulina, iz Sremskih Karlovaca, ul. Maksima Gorkog 2, koju zastupa advokat Miloš Mi- lošević iz Novog Sada, ulica Laze Telečkog 5 Radi: utvrđenja Vrednost spora: 130.000,00 dinara ZAHTEV TUŽENE DA JOJ SUD OBEZBEDI BESPLATNOG TUMAČA U postupku P 348/2017 Pred Osnovnim sudom u Novom Sadu, u toku je postupak koji tužilac vodi protiv tužene radi utvrđenja. Punomoćnik tužene ističe da je tužena državljanka Rusije, ne govori srpski jezik, te postavlja zahtev sudu, shodno članu 95. Zakona o parničnom postupku, da joj sud obezbedi adekvatnog sud- skog tumača za ruski jezik i to tokom trajanja parničnog postupka, a kako bi mogla da učestvuje ravnopravno i aktivno u sudskom postupku. Dokaz: uverenje o državljanstvu U Novom Sadu, dana 24.02.2018. godine Punomoćnik tužene ______________________________ GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 17 4.1.1. Example of a request for a court interpreter A PARTY’S REQUEST TO BE PROVIDED AN INTERPRETER FOR THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE IN A COURT PROCEEDING TO THE BASIC COURT IN NOVI SAD PLAINTIFF: Petar Petrović, of Novi Sada, Cara Dušana 35, represented by attorney-at-law Ester Do- monji, of Novi Sad, Sutjeska 7 DEFENDANT: Olga Šipulina, of Sremski Karlovci, Maksima Gorkog 2, represented by attorney-at-law Miloš Milošević of Novi Sad, Laze Telečkog 5 For the purpose of: establishment Dispute value: 130,000.00 dinars DEFENDANT’S REQUEST TO BE PROVIDED AN INTERPRETER FREE OF CHARGE BY THE COURT In Procedure P 348/2017 Before the Basic Court in Novi Sad, under way is a procedure conducted by a plaintiff against a defendant for the purpose of establishment. The defendant’s attorney emphasizes that the defendant is a Russian citizen and that she does not speak the Serbian language and thus, they request of the court to, in accordance with Art. 95 of the Code of Civil Procedure, provide an adequate court interpreter for the Russian language during the civil procedure, in order that the defendant be able to participate actively and on an equal foot- ing in the court proceeding. Exhibit: Certificate of Citizenship Novi Sad, 24 February 2018 Defendant’s attorney ______________________________ GUIDE 18 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 4.1.2. Primer zahteva za obezbeđenje sudskog tumača za lice oštećenog sluha ZAHTEV STRANKE DA JOJ SE U POSTUPKU PRED SUDOM OBEZBEDI BESPLATAN TUMAČ OSNOVNOM SUDU U KIKINDI TUŽILAC: Marko Marković, iz Kikinde, ul. Nikole Tesle 3 TUŽENI: Slavica Slavković, iz Nove Crnje, ul. Petefi Šandora 11 Radi: neosnovnanog obogaćenja Vrednost spora: 100.000,00 dinara ZAHTEV TUŽIOCA DA MU SUD OBEZBEDI BESPLATNOG TUMAČA U postupku P 233/2017 Pred Osnovnim sudom u Kikindi, u toku je postupak koji tužilac vodi protiv tuženog radi neos- novanog obogaćenja. Tužilac je osoba sa oštećenim sluhom u procentu od 100%, te shodno Zakonu o parničnom postupku i to član 95. stav 4. tužilac zahteva da mu sud, obezbedi adekvatnog sudskog tumača tokom trajanja parničnog postupka, kako bi mogao da ravnopravno i aktivno učestvuje u postupku. Dokaz: Nalaz lekara specijaliste i druga potrebna dokumentacija U Kikindi, dana 10.10.2017. godine TUŽILAC ______________________________ GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 19 4.1.2. Example of a request for a court intepreter for a person with impaired hearing A PARTY’S REQUEST TO BE PROVIDED AN INTERPRETER FREE OF CHARGE IN A COURT PROCEEDING TO THE BASIC COURT IN KIKINDA PLAINTIFF: Marko Marković, of Kikinda, NikoleTesle 3 DEFENDANT: Slavica Slavković, of Nova Crnja, Petefi Šandora 11 Cause: unjust enrichment Dispute value: 100,000.00 dinars PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST TO BE PROVIDED AN INTERPRETER FREE OF CHARGE BY THE COURT In Procedure P 233/2017 Before the Basic Court in Kikinda, under way is a procedure conducted by a plaintiff against a defendant on the grounds of unjust enrichment. The plaintiff is a person with impaired hearing in the percentage of 100%, and thus, they re- quest of the court to, in accordance with Art. 95, §4 of the Code of Civil Procedure, provide an ad- equate court interpreter during the civil procedure, in order that the plaintiff be able to participate actively and on an equal footing in the court proceeding. Exhibit: Medical specialist’s report and other required documents Kikinda, 10 October 2017 PLAINTIFF ______________________________ GUIDE 20 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 4.2. Costs of the exercise of a right to a court interpreter A court interpreter is entitled to a compensation of the costs they had in relation to interpre- tation and also to an award for their work. Parties and other participants in a procedure who are blind, deaf or mute are entitled to a court interpreter free of charge. A court interpreter’s costs shall be determined in the amount of the real expenditures the person had and may include the expenses of travel, board and lodging as well as lost profit. Example: The party who requested a court interpreter in a proceeding for the purpose of translation at a hearing, which lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes, shall bear the regular expenses made by the court interpreter (the price of a bus fare if the interpreter requests so and produces the bus ticket) and an award to the interpreter in the amount of 4,800.00 din. The court shall order to a party or to another participant in a civil procedure to pay the assumed in- terpretation costs into the court’s account in advance, whereas the total amount of costs and award for the court interpretent shall be established at the end of the proceeding. As a rule, it is the party who lost the dispute that shall bear all the costs in a proceeding. GUIDE FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR 21 For the purpose of estimation of the court interpreter’s cost and award, a party or another partici- pant in a court proceeding can contact a court interpreter from the Ministry of Justice’s list of per- manent court interpreters in advance. “The person who loses the dispute shall pay the costs of the proceeding which the opposing party, who has won the dispute, has already paid – under certain conditions.” Guide to Exemption from Court Fees, Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, 2018 GUIDE 22 FOR THE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO A COURT INTERPRETER – TRANSLATOR EMBAJADA DE ESPAÑA EN BELGRADO