By EUDO CITIZENSHIP/CITSEE expert Ljubica Spaskovska

On 10 February 2010 the Ministers of Justice of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina signed an agreement to prevent the abuse of dual citizenship in extradition processes of convicted criminals.

The decision, amending an agreement signed in 1996 on the mutual enforcement of final court rulings in criminal matters, will allow the arrest and extradition of people who have evaded justice as a result of holding dual citizenship. Convicts will no longer need to give consent to serve the sentence in the country to which they fled.

In a press release the Croatian Ministry of Justice said that this agreement will finally halt the practice of abuse of dual citizenship by convicts who, in possession of both Bosnian and Croatian passports, could escape justice when sentenced in one of these countries by fleeing to the other. They were also protected by each state’s prohibition of extraditing its own citizens.

“We need dual citizenships, they are useful for our citizens, but they must not be compromised by such examples of abuse,” said Croatian Minister of Justice Ivan Simonovic.

The media reported that so far an estimated 200 convicted individuals have been able to move freely between Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, including among others also many war criminals. It has been announced that Bosnia will soon sign a similar agreement with Serbia.

Read more:

“Bosnia, Croatia Agree to Recognition of Verdicts” (in English)

“Balkan Extradition Treaties – Better Late Than Never” (in English)

http://www.pravosudje.hr/default.asp?ru=1&gl=201002100000001&sid=&jezik=1 (in Croatian)

http://www.vijeceministara.gov.ba/saopstenja/ministri/Default.aspx?id=9900 (in Bosnian)