Kalinić extradition to Serbia unlikely

Croatian police interrogated Sretko Kalinic overnight, said reports from Zagreb this Wednesday. Kalinic is a Croatian citizen, it has been revealed. Kalinic, one of the runaway conspirators in the 2003 murder of Zoran Djindjic, was found with two gunshot wounds in Zagreb on Tuesday. Kalinic extradition to Serbia unlikely It is believed that another Zemun Clan fugitive, Milos Simovic, shot him. Media in Croatia are reporting today that more Zemun gangsters still on the run could soon be arrested. Serbian police (MUP) Director Milorad Veljovic also hinted that more arrests could be expected as he announced the news about Kalinic's detention yesterday. Veljovic also did not rule out the possibility that the Zemun gangsters were connected to the crime group of another fugitive and suspected drug smuggling kingpin, Darko Saric. Kalinic told Croatian police that it was Simovic who shot and wounded him. Both men have been tried in absentia and sentenced to 30 years in prison each in Serbia, for their role in the Djindjic assassination. Belgrade weekly Vreme editor Filip Svarm says he is not surprised that the pair were hiding in Croatia, and adds that the remaining Zemun fugitives, above all Milan Jurisic and Vladimir Milisavljevic aka Budala, are also likely hiding in the region. According to testimonies, Kalic, nicknamed Zver (the Beast) was one of the most vicious Zemun Clan members, with an outstanding Interpol arrest warrant issued against him seven years ago. He killed and dismembered Zoran Savic, one of his victims, with an ax, broke the bones with a hammer, and then set the rest of the body on fire. Beside the Djindjic murder, Kalinic and Simovic also received sentences of 40 years in jail each for their participation in 19 murders, three kidnappings and two terrorism-related cases. Authorities in Serbia said they expected Kalinic, who is currently receiving medical treatment while under arrest, to be extradited to Serbia based on the existing warrant. But police in Croatia confirmed that Kalinic, born in the town of Zadar, is a citizen of Croatia. This means that under that country's laws, he cannot be extradited. In a written statement for B92, Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said that Belgrade would request Kalinic's extradition as soon as it received an official confirmation of his arrest, but that since he holds a Croatian passport, he cannot be extradited. “For now, there is an agreement between the justice ministries of Serbia and Croatia to proceed with the signing of an agreement on mutual extradition of domestic citizens accused of organized crime and corruption. I expect that this will happen as soon as Croatia implements its constitutional changes. I wish to point out that the extradition process could take several months,” Malovic stated. L-R: MUP mugshots of Simovic, Milisavljevic, Jurisic (MUP)

Kalinić extradition to Serbia unlikely

It is believed that another Zemun Clan fugitive, Miloš Simović, shot him.

Media in Croatia are reporting today that more Zemun gangsters still on the run could soon be arrested.

Serbian police (MUP) Director Milorad Veljović also hinted that more arrests could be expected as he announced the news about Kalinić's detention yesterday.

Veljović also did not rule out the possibility that the Zemun gangsters were connected to the crime group of another fugitive and suspected drug smuggling kingpin, Darko Šarić.

Kalinić told Croatian police that it was Simović who shot and wounded him. Both men have been tried in absentia and sentenced to 30 years in prison each in Serbia, for their role in the Đinđić assassination.

Belgrade weekly Vreme editor Filip Švarm says he is not surprised that the pair were hiding in Croatia, and adds that the remaining Zemun fugitives, above all Milan Jurišić and Vladimir Milisavljević aka Budala, are also likely hiding in the region.

According to testimonies, Kalić, nicknamed Zver (the Beast) was one of the most vicious Zemun Clan members, with an outstanding Interpol arrest warrant issued against him seven years ago. He killed and dismembered Zoran Savić, one of his victims, with an ax, broke the bones with a hammer, and then set the rest of the body on fire.

Beside the Đinđić murder, Kalinić and Simović also received sentences of 40 years in jail each for their participation in 19 murders, three kidnappings and two terrorism-related cases.

Authorities in Serbia said they expected Kalinić, who is currently receiving medical treatment while under arrest, to be extradited to Serbia based on the existing warrant. But police in Croatia confirmed that Kalinić, born in the town of Zadar, is a citizen of Croatia. This means that under that country's laws, he cannot be extradited.

In a written statement for B92, Serbian Justice Minister Snežana Malović said that Belgrade would request Kalinić's extradition as soon as it received an official confirmation of his arrest, but that since he holds a Croatian passport, he cannot be extradited.

“For now, there is an agreement between the justice ministries of Serbia and Croatia to proceed with the signing of an agreement on mutual extradition of domestic citizens accused of organized crime and corruption. I expect that this will happen as soon as Croatia implements its constitutional changes. I wish to point out that the extradition process could take several months,” Malović stated.