In a first-instance judgment in proceedings in which the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality participated as an intervener, the Higher Court in Kragujevac found that the city administration had discriminated against an employee on the grounds of political belief and membership in a trade union organization. The Commissioner’s opinion, which in this case established discrimination, constituted one of the key pieces of evidence in the proceedings.

Although the judgment is not yet final, these proceedings are of particular importance in light of the growing number of complaints concerning discrimination in the field of employment. They confirm the importance of effective protection of employees’ rights and further highlight the role of the Commissioner as an important mechanism in combating discrimination, both through preventive action and the issuing of opinions, as well as through direct participation in court proceedings of public interest.