Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Simonovic and his Serbian counterpart Snezana Malovic signed in Belgrade on Tuesday an agreement on the mutual extradition of the two countries' nationals indicted and convicted for organised crime and corruption.
Under the agreement, the two countries will extradite to one another their citizens or people without citizenship who are indicted and convicted for organised crime and corruption and who have permanent residence in the country which has received a request for extradition.
Speaking to reporters, Simonovic said the agreement was very important for relations between the two countries as well as for relations in the entire region and for Croatia's and Serbia's integration with the European Union.
"The agreement is proof of our strong determination to fight together against organised crime and other types of crime in the region. The agreement is a very important step in building trust between the two countries," said Simonovic.
He added that the agreement would very soon yield very concrete results and that it also must have a preventive role.
Serbia's Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said the agreement was of historic importance and was a result of the countries' common commitment to promoting cooperation in the field of judiciary.
The agreement will contribute to Serbia's integration with the EU and its fight against organised crime, as well as to the enhancement of relations with Croatia, Malovic said.
The two ministers said that the agreement would enter into force right away and that its provisional enforcement would last until it was ratified by the two countries' parliaments.
