Macedonia and Croatia sign extradition agreement

Croatia and Macedonia have signed an extradition agreement as part of a wider regional plan to prevent citizens holding dual citizenship from fleeing to another country to avoid prosecution at home.

In the presence of the two countries’ presidents, Macedonia’s Gjorge Ivanov and Croatia’s Ivo Josipovic, justice ministers Blerim Bexheti and his host, Drazen Bosnjakovic, signed the agreement on Monday in Zagreb.

“This is one more contribution towards the stabilization of the entire region and overcoming the unpleasant consequences inherited from the past,” Ivanov noted after the signing.

The latest agreement forms part of a general principle agreed between the leaders of the Balkan region to expand existing extradition treaties. The aim is to curb the space for convicted or suspected criminals to flee justice.