Today, Justice Minister Nela Kuburović met with Justice Minister of the Republic of Croatia
Dražen Bošnjaković in Zagreb. The ministers discussed judicial cooperation and open judicial
matters between the respective countries. They said there was a shared commitment to that
cooperation and joint efforts in closing open matters, and that the cooperation would continue
into the following period.
Discussing the mixed Commission which was tasked to draft the War Crimes Prosecution
Agreement, the ministers concurred that actual progress had been achieved. To help advance the
Commission’s work, they confirmed that the Commission would meet again to intensify their
activities on finalising the remaining elements of the future Agreement by the summer. In
support of a true mutual openness to cooperate and finalise the matter, the continuation of
another mixed Commission’s work was agreed (the commission for exchanging lists of those
accused and convicted of war crimes).
The ministers stressed that lists by both sides needed to be fully updated and cross-checked to remove any mismatches and deficiencies. They also agreed to engage prosecution representatives with the Commission to intensify the direct cooperation for the ultimate safety of both countries’ citizens.
In the spirit of mutual appreciation and cooperation, the ministers also shared their views on
other related topics: the possibility of amending the existing bilateral agreements to facilitate a
direct cooperation between the judicial organs so that proceedings could accelerate; Serbia-EU
negotiations process and the importance of meeting all Chapter 23 measures; the protection of
the rights of national minorities in terms of the legislative framework for the employment of
national minorities in both countries’ judicial institutions. On the last one, the ministers
discussed how their constitutions and legislation governed the representation of minorities in
government and judicial institutions, and the practical aspects of the minorities’ rights to
employment in judicial institutions.
Sharing knowledge and experience in EU-integration was also recognised as an important
element of the bilateral judicial cooperation between the two countries. Croatia’s experts’
assistance to Serbia during its negotiations with the EU was acknowledged and the mutual desire
for a continued cooperation expressed.
The meeting was friendly. The parties shared the view that progress in closing open matters was
evident, and that there was openness to defining a precise legal framework for future bilateral
judicial cooperation in the upcoming period.