Serbia and Spain to Negotiate Extradition of Luka Bojovic

Serbian and Spanish authorities will meet in Madrid next week to discuss the extradition of Luka Bojovic and two other Serbian gangsters arrested in Spain in February, a Serbian Justice Ministry official said Sunday. 

Bojovic is a prominent figure in the Zemun organized crime group based near the Serbian capital of Belgrade, and his associates Vladimir Milisavljevic and Sinisa Petric, are wanted for numerous crimes committed in several European countries. Both countries want to try the men for crimes committed in their countries.

 The three men were arrested on February 9, in Valencia, Spain. Serbian authorities sent an official extradition request to Spain in mid-March, accompanied by a 2000 page report on the crimes the group committed in Serbia. Between them, the three men are wanted for dozens of murders, and have lengthy rap sheets for various crimes both in Serbia and Spain.

The Serbian delegation is bringing new evidence of crimes Bojovic’s group is accused of in Serbia to convince Spain to extradite the three criminals. Bojovic, Milisavljevic and Petric have already been convicted in Serbia in absentia for the 2003 murder of former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. The Serbian judiciary believes they should serve their sentences in Serbia.

However, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Slobodan Homen told Tanjug news that the Serbian side recognizes the interests of the Spanish people in putting Bojovic on trial in Spain for the crimes he committed in the country. He added that the Serbian judiciary will try to reach an agreement with their Spanish counterparts to try Bojovic and his group in Serbia, both for the crimes they committed at home and those they are charged with in Spain.

He added that the Serbian authorities are also very interested to know how Bojovic and his gang financed themselves while in Spain, and if any of their assets can be seized by Serbia.

Homen told Tanjug that in addition to the Bojovic case, the goal of the meeting is also to discuss the development of cooperation between Spain and Serbia in the fight against transnational organized crime.

In mid-March, the Spanish police uncovered the remains of a man determined to be Zemun gang member Milan Jurisic, who was murdered and dismembered, possibly by his fellow gang members. Jurisic’s murder was allegedly described in detail in one of the coded notes found in Bojovic’s possession when he was arrested.

The Serbian delegation will be led by Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic. Malovic will be joined by Homen, and State Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac. They will meet with Spanish Minister of Justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, Secretary of State for Justice Fernando Roman, the General Director for International Legal Coordination Angel Llorente and State Prosecutor Eduardo Torres-Dulce.