Serbian, Montenegrin justice ministers meet

The Saric case was one of the main topics on the agenda as Justice Minister Snezana Malovic met her Montenegrin counterpart Miras Radovic in Belgrade. Darko Saric, a Montenegrin with Serbian passport, is currently at large, wanted as the chief suspect in the smuggling of more than two tons of cocaine. The international operation that prevented the trafficking was codenamed Balkan Warrior. Serbian, Montenegrin justice ministers meet The two ministers agreed on Thursday in Belgrade to foster bilateral cooperation in the judiciary sector and to resolve procedural problems in the Balkan Warrior case. They agreed that the issues of international legal aid between the judiciary institutions of the two countries should not be politicized, reports said. Future communications in this regard will be carried out only on the professional level, a joint statement issued after the meeting says. Agreement was also reached that prosecution officials should meet next week to discuss specific steps in overcoming the misunderstandings regarding international legal aid in the Balkan Warrior case. The participants also expressed readiness to foster bilateral cooperation in the judiciary sector and commitment to fight cross-border crime. This is a priority for both countries and the entire region, the statement said. Ahead of the meeting today, it was announced that Malovic and Radovic would discuss the possibilities for improvement of legal cooperation, open questions and concrete problems in the field of cooperation between judicial authorities of the two countries at today’s meeting in Belgrade. According to the Serbian Justice Ministry, Serbia's State Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac and Organized Crime Prosecutor Miljko Radisavljevic, and Montenegrin Supreme State Prosecutor Ranka Carapic and Special War Crime Prosecutor Djurdjina Ivanovic also attended the meeting. Confrontational statements that have been exchanged between Belgrade and Podgorica during the past weeks were expected to be resolved today. The reason for the meeting of the two justice ministers is the fact that Montenegro recently released from custody two of its citizens that Serbia claims are members of the organized criminal group led by Darko Saric. The Montenegrin state prosecutor state said at the time that in order to keep them in custody, Podgorica needed documentation from Serbia, which Belgrade refused to send, noting that it would do so upon completion of the investigation. This started an avalanche of accusations on both sides, which culminated with Malovic’s statement that there were ties between politics and crime in Montenegro. It was expected that Belgrade would also raise the issue of extradition of citizens from the two countries. The constitutions of both Serbia and Montenegro do not allow extraditions of their citizens. Ahead of his arrival to Belgrade, Montenegrin Justice Minister Miras Radovic repeated accusations that Serbian political structures had “politicized the Saric case, in order to discredit the legal system and state authorities in Montenegro”. Malovic and Radovic meet in Belgrade (Tanjug)

Serbian, Montenegrin justice ministers meet

The two ministers agreed on Thursday in Belgrade to foster bilateral cooperation in the judiciary sector and to resolve procedural problems in the Balkan Warrior case.

They agreed that the issues of international legal aid between the judiciary institutions of the two countries should not be politicized, reports said.

Future communications in this regard will be carried out only on the professional level, a joint statement issued after the meeting says.

Agreement was also reached that prosecution officials should meet next week to discuss specific steps in overcoming the misunderstandings regarding international legal aid in the Balkan Warrior case.

The participants also expressed readiness to foster bilateral cooperation in the judiciary sector and commitment to fight cross-border crime.

This is a priority for both countries and the entire region, the statement said.

Ahead of the meeting today, it was announced that Malović and Radović would discuss the possibilities for improvement of legal cooperation, open questions and concrete problems in the field of cooperation between judicial authorities of the two countries at today’s meeting in Belgrade.

According to the Serbian Justice Ministry, Serbia's State Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac and Organized Crime Prosecutor Miljko Radisavljević, and Montenegrin Supreme State Prosecutor Ranka Čarapić and Special War Crime Prosecutor Đurđina Ivanović also attended the meeting.

Confrontational statements that have been exchanged between Belgrade and Podgorica during the past weeks were expected to be resolved today.

The reason for the meeting of the two justice ministers is the fact that Montenegro recently released from custody two of its citizens that Serbia claims are members of the organized criminal group led by Darko Šarić.

The Montenegrin state prosecutor state said at the time that in order to keep them in custody, Podgorica needed documentation from Serbia, which Belgrade refused to send, noting that it would do so upon completion of the investigation.

This started an avalanche of accusations on both sides, which culminated with Malović’s statement that there were ties between politics and crime in Montenegro.

It was expected that Belgrade would also raise the issue of extradition of citizens from the two countries.

The constitutions of both Serbia and Montenegro do not allow extraditions of their citizens.

Ahead of his arrival to Belgrade, Montenegrin Justice Minister Miraš Radović repeated accusations that Serbian political structures had “politicized the Šarić case, in order to discredit the legal system and state authorities in Montenegro”.