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Montenegro, Italy boost judicial cooperation in ex...
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Montenegro, Italy boost judicial cooperation in extradition, mutual assistance in criminal matters
Published on: Jul 25, 2013 • 9:31 PM Author: PR Bureau
Podgorica, Montenegro (25 July 2013) – Montenegrin and Italian justice ministers, Duško Marković and Ananmaria Cancellieri, signed in Podgorica additional bilateral agreements on the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and on the European Convention on Extradition, thus opening a new chapter in bilateral cooperation in the fields of justice, freedom and security.
Agreement on facilitating implementation of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters provides for the possibility of direct judicial cooperation between the two countries, the execution of requests in line with the legislation of the state seeking legal help, if it does not conflict with the national law of the requested state. It also envisages the introduction of video conferencing in hearings and the identification of banking and financial information, Minister Marković told the press following the signing ceremony.
Agreement on facilitating implementation of the European Convention on Extradition provides for the possibility of extradition of nationals for offenses which, under the regulations of the two countries, carries a prison sentence of four years or more, for the purpose of conducting criminal proceedings before the state seeking extradition. In addition, the contract enables that, after imposing a prison sentence, a convicted person is returned to the country of his/her origin in order to serve the sentence. When seeking the extradition of persons sentenced to a term of three years or more, the requested state, instead of extradition of its own nationals, can take over the sentence after the recognition of the foreign verdict, Mr Marković explained.
Montenegro's Justice Minister Duško Marković emphasised that these agreements create a legislative framework for advancing judicial cooperation between Montenegro and Italy, which has already proved to be high quality. Particular success was achieved through the institution of transfer of criminal prosecution, and the "Šarić" case is the best example of it. Due to high-quality cooperation in this process, which in resulted in a conviction in Montenegro, the Montenegrin prosecutors have received compliments from the highest prosecutorial addresses in Italy, Minister Marković underlined.
These bilateral agreements are the first agreements of this kind signed with an EU member state. They represent, according to Minister Marković, an important step, not only in terms of improving bilateral cooperation, but also multilateral cooperation, in order to strengthen global fight against the worst forms of crime.
Montenegro will continue to negotiate the conclusion of agreements on judicial cooperation with Kosovo and Turkey, while being committed to the implementation of extradition agreements already concluded with Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
These bilateral agreements are the first agreements of this kind signed with an EU member state. They represent, according to Minister Marković, an important step, not only in terms of improving bilateral cooperation, but also multilateral cooperation, in order to strengthen global fight against the worst forms of crime.
Montenegro will continue to negotiate the conclusion of agreements on judicial cooperation with Kosovo and Turkey, while being committed to the implementation of extradition agreements already concluded with Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
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