Non-Extradition of suspects of crime and corruption
The last few days the Croatian newspapers have been full with articles about the murder of a football fan in Siroki Brijeg (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
A member of the fan group “Hordes of evil” Vedran Pulji? from Sarajevo was killed on the 4th of October in riots that erupted behind the North stand Pecara stadium in Siroki Brijeg.
Suspect of the murder Oliver Knezovi? escaped from Bosnia, and went to Croatia, where he reported himself to a police station, claiming his was innocent.
As Mr. Knezovi? has a Croatian citizenship, Croatia will not extradite him to Bosnia. The Court spokesman Kresimir Devcic told, that the judge after talks with Knezovi? decided to release him as he was not accused of any criminal activities in Croatia.
Croatian Constitution and the law do not allow an extradition of its citizens to other countries. The only solution would be that Bosnia and Herzegovina would relinquish this case to the Croatian judiciary.
Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Simonovic recently, in his visit to Belgrade, said that Croatia was still in a situation, having a constitutional obstacle to the extradition of Croatian citizens to other countries, however, there is a working group who has made proposal to the government, in relation to a change of the Constitution.
A Change of the Croatian Constitution is necessary to adapt to EU standards, to join the EU Croatian need constitution which would allow extradition of suspects for crime and corruption, to other EU countries, this should also apply to countries where a bilateral agreements could be signed.
This case of non-extradition is the third recent case which was debated heavily in the press, the two prior cases was:
Heart surgeon from the Rijeka, Ognjen Simic who in Croatia, is accused of accepting bribes, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison, but managed to escape to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he requested a citizenship and employment.
The last and properly most spectacular case:
Branimir Glavaš, Member of Parliament in Croatia was accused for war crimes and sentenced to 10 years in prison, he escaped to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as he is still a member of the Croatian parliament he is still receiving his government salary, (And here comes the best part) and he receives an additional fee for being separated from his wife!!! In total around 24.000 kuna net per month.
There story you just read is not a 1 April joke, but the reality of Croatia 2009! (:
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