The agreement, signed at a regional conference in Belgrade on Tuesday, should make it more difficult for organized crime groups to operate across borders of the two former Yugoslav republics, and it will prevent criminals from using their citizenships to avoid prosecution. The extradition agreement comes at a time when both countries are battling organized crime groups that traffic illegal immigrants from Asian and African countries through the Balkans and into the European Union.
With the extradition treaties connecting the judicial systems across the region, many fugitives are now facing justice. Among them is the former Macedonian customs chief, Dragan Daravelski, who was sentenced in absentia to seven years, in 2007, for misappropriating millions of euros of state funds. Thanks to his dual Macedonian-Serbian citizenship, Daravelski was able to move to Serbia and avoid jail. Tomislav Gjurin, the Serbian ambassador to Macedonia, announced on Monday that Daravelski will soon be extradited to Macedonia.
A former Macedonian state trustee for several bankrupt companies, Vladislav Tamburkovski, was sentenced in absentia to more than 10 years in prison, for fraud. He is believed to be hiding in Serbia or Bulgaria. Further, the former Macedonian Health Minister Vlado Dimov, wanted in Macedonia on corruption charges, may be hiding in Turkey.
Minister Malovic told Radio-televizija Srbije on Tuesday that when Serbia brought up the topic of bilateral extradition agreements at a regional conference there years ago, there were concerns about the lack of political will to see such agreements through. She added that negotiations are also underway for regional arrest warrants which would reduce the extradition time from as many as 6 months to just two months.
In 2010, Serbia signed extradition agreements with Croatia and Montenegro, while Croatia signed an extradition agreement with Montenegro in 2010, and with Macedonia in 2011. Talks are under way with Bosnia, Italy and the United States.
