Serbia, U.S. negotiate extradition agreement

Serbian and U.S. Government representatives have begun negotiations on a new agreement on extradition of perpetrators of serious crimes. The first valid agreement on extradition was signed on October 25, 1901. The first round of negotiations regarding the new deal has begun at government headquarters in Belgrade on Thursday. Serbia, U.S. negotiate extradition agreement Justice Ministry State Secretary Slobodan Homen said that there was exceptionally good cooperation between Serbian and U.S. security institutions, pointing out that extensive actions regarding combat against organized crime and drugs were under way. “It’s not enough that only security institutions and police forces are cooperating, but it’s necessary that all perpetrators of criminal acts are brought to justice and that they’re convicted,” Homen said. He added that America's readiness to extradite their citizens to Serbia was a “reflection of confidence in the Serbian justice system”. The state secretary added that Serbia was at this point negotiating similar agreements with Croatia and Italy, and expressed his expectation that a time would soon a general agreement with the EU. U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick, who attended the talks today, stressed that the negotiations were an example of successful and deeper relations between the two countries, but also of a possibility to jointly overcome threats and challenges. “We expect productive and detailed talks about the draft text in the next few days and successful signing of a bilateral agreement on extradition which will provide our countries with an important tool with which we’ll be able to respond to security challenges,” the ambassador was quoted as saying. Speaking for B92 today, Slobodan Homen also said that the basic idea behind the proposed agreement on extradition was to combat against organized crime and drug cartels, considering that the Serbian mafia had become an international organized criminal group whose members were citizens of various countries and that it conducted its activities in Latin America, Europe and elsewhere. He also mentioned the case of Peter Egner – an ethnic German from Vojvodina in northern Serbia, now residing in the U.S., suspected of committing war crimes during the Second World War – and said the suspect should be extradited to Serbia based on this agreement. “I think that the public is well aware of the case of Nazi criminal Peter Egner, who is accused of committing criminal acts of genocide and war crime against civilian population in Belgrade during the Second World War as a member of the Gestapo, participating in the killing of several dozens of Serbs, Jews and Roma,” Homen said. “The main obstacle to (his) extradition was the fact that he was a U.S. citizen, therefore he couldn’t be extradited to Serbia. This agreement will enable for Peter Egner to be processed before the Serbian judicial authorities,” said the state secretary. Homen added that there currently were no U.S. requests for extradition of Serbian citizens to the U.S. Judiciary, and said he expected the agreement to be signed “very soon”. Warlick and Homen address a news conference (Tanjug)

Serbia, U.S. negotiate extradition agreement

Justice Ministry State Secretary Slobodan Homen said that there was exceptionally good cooperation between Serbian and U.S. security institutions, pointing out that extensive actions regarding combat against organized crime and drugs were under way.

“It’s not enough that only security institutions and police forces are cooperating, but it’s necessary that all perpetrators of criminal acts are brought to justice and that they’re convicted,” Homen said.

He added that America's readiness to extradite their citizens to Serbia was a “reflection of confidence in the Serbian justice system”.

The state secretary added that Serbia was at this point negotiating similar agreements with Croatia and Italy, and expressed his expectation that a time would soon a general agreement with the EU.

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick, who attended the talks today, stressed that the negotiations were an example of successful and deeper relations between the two countries, but also of a possibility to jointly overcome threats and challenges.

“We expect productive and detailed talks about the draft text in the next few days and successful signing of a bilateral agreement on extradition which will provide our countries with an important tool with which we’ll be able to respond to security challenges,” the ambassador was quoted as saying.

Speaking for B92 today, Slobodan Homen also said that the basic idea behind the proposed agreement on extradition was to combat against organized crime and drug cartels, considering that the Serbian mafia had become an international organized criminal group whose members were citizens of various countries and that it conducted its activities in Latin America, Europe and elsewhere.

He also mentioned the case of Peter Egner – an ethnic German from Vojvodina in northern Serbia, now residing in the U.S., suspected of committing war crimes during the Second World War – and said the suspect should be extradited to Serbia based on this agreement.

“I think that the public is well aware of the case of Nazi criminal Peter Egner, who is accused of committing criminal acts of genocide and war crime against civilian population in Belgrade during the Second World War as a member of the Gestapo, participating in the killing of several dozens of Serbs, Jews and Roma,” Homen said.

“The main obstacle to (his) extradition was the fact that he was a U.S. citizen, therefore he couldn’t be extradited to Serbia. This agreement will enable for Peter Egner to be processed before the Serbian judicial authorities,” said the state secretary.

Homen added that there currently were no U.S. requests for extradition of Serbian citizens to the U.S. Judiciary, and said he expected the agreement to be signed “very soon”.