Brasília, 2/6/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Minister of Justice, Márcio Thomaz Bastos, says he believes that the Senate will vote on some important points in the Judiciary reform before the end of the extraordinary session now underway. That would be by February 13. Bastos said the reform was extremely important for the country.

The minister said that in his opinion councils should be created to exercise external control over the Judicial branch and government prosecutors. That, he said, would make the system faster and more responsive to the needs of society. He added that a constitutional amendment would not be sufficient to do what is needed. (AB)