Đinđić murder conspirator could walk free

According to Croatian law, Sretko Kalinic cannot serve prison sentences handed to him in Serbia in that country. Kalinic, a Croatian citizen and member of the Zemun Clan gang, will not serve two prison sentences he was given in Serbia, when he was tried in absentia, because Croatian law does not recognize them, the Croatian Justice Ministry told B92. Djindjic murder conspirator could walk free The documentation has yet to arrive from Serbia for a possible trial for Kalinic in Croatia, Croatian Justice Ministry spokesperson Vesna Dovranic told B92. According to B92’s reporter in Zagreb, all this means that if he weren't wounded and in the hospital at this time, Kalinic, nicknamed the Beast for his cruelty, would walk free. Police guarding him in Zagreb are in fact making sure that no one tries to kill him, rather than preventing him from running away. There is no agreement between Serbia and Croatia that would allow him to serve the sentences in Croatia, despite the fact that he has been convicted of taking part in the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and sentenced to 30 years in prison. For his involvement in 19 other murders and other crimes that included terrorism and kidnapping, Kalinic received an additional sentence of 40 years in jail. Reports say that the Croatian Interpol office “warned Serbia in 2003 that Kalinic is a Croatian citizen and that he can only be tried in Croatia”. Zagreb then asked Belgrade for documentation for allowing him to be tried in Zagreb, but Belgrade never answered the request. Therefore, Kalinic will be able to serve time in Croatia only if it is confirmed that he committed a crime on the territory of Croatia. It is still not known whether Croatian police will keep him in custody and charge him for being in possession of a fake passport at the time of the arrest earlier this week. Under Croatia's current legislation, as this country's citizen, he cannot be extradited. In Belgrade, lawyer Bozo Prelevic told B92 that it was possible that the gangster would be tried in Croatia for the crimes committed in Serbia, and added he believed “Croatia would gladly get rid of Kalinic”. A trial in Croatia would take “months, even years”, the lawyer warned. Prelevic also said that in case there was a new trial, this time in Croatia, “there should be insistence on revealing those who inspired” the 2003 murder of Serbia's prime minister. Courts in Serbia found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison each former members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) Milorad Ulemek aka Legija and Zvezdan Jovanovic as the chief conspirators. A number of Zemun Clan gangsters were also found guilty. Back in Zagreb, Belgrade daily Blic writes, Kalinic confessed to two murders he had committed as a member of the Zemun Clan. Kalinic claimed that another fugitive, Milos Simovic, shot him twice, in a Zagreb suburb earlier this week. Simovic has in the meantime been arrested. The newspaper reports that Serbian police have “operative data” that shows Kalinic and Simovic, who spent the past seven years hiding, “received the most active protection from the Montenegrin secret services”. According to the same statements, the pair were in Croatia since late January. Sretko Kalinic (Jutarnji.hr, file)

Đinđić murder conspirator could walk free

The documentation has yet to arrive from Serbia for a possible trial for Kalinić in Croatia, Croatian Justice Ministry spokesperson Vesna Dovranić told B92.

According to B92’s reporter in Zagreb, all this means that if he weren't wounded and in the hospital at this time, Kalinić, nicknamed the Beast for his cruelty, would walk free.

Police guarding him in Zagreb are in fact making sure that no one tries to kill him, rather than preventing him from running away.

There is no agreement between Serbia and Croatia that would allow him to serve the sentences in Croatia, despite the fact that he has been convicted of taking part in the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

For his involvement in 19 other murders and other crimes that included terrorism and kidnapping, Kalinić received an additional sentence of 40 years in jail.

Reports say that the Croatian Interpol office “warned Serbia in 2003 that Kalinić is a Croatian citizen and that he can only be tried in Croatia”. Zagreb then asked Belgrade for documentation for allowing him to be tried in Zagreb, but Belgrade never answered the request.

Therefore, Kalinić will be able to serve time in Croatia only if it is confirmed that he committed a crime on the territory of Croatia. It is still not known whether Croatian police will keep him in custody and charge him for being in possession of a fake passport at the time of the arrest earlier this week.

Under Croatia's current legislation, as this country's citizen, he cannot be extradited.

In Belgrade, lawyer Božo Prelević told B92 that it was possible that the gangster would be tried in Croatia for the crimes committed in Serbia, and added he believed “Croatia would gladly get rid of Kalinić”.

A trial in Croatia would take “months, even years”, the lawyer warned.

Prelević also said that in case there was a new trial, this time in Croatia, “there should be insistence on revealing those who inspired” the 2003 murder of Serbia's prime minister.

Courts in Serbia found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison each former members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) Milorad Ulemek aka Legija and Zvezdan Jovanović as the chief conspirators.

A number of Zemun Clan gangsters were also found guilty.

Back in Zagreb, Belgrade daily Blic writes, Kalinić confessed to two murders he had committed as a member of the Zemun Clan.

Kalinić claimed that another fugitive, Miloš Simović, shot him twice, in a Zagreb suburb earlier this week.

Simović has in the meantime been arrested.

The newspaper reports that Serbian police have “operative data” that shows Kalinić and Simović, who spent the past seven years hiding, “received the most active protection from the Montenegrin secret services”.

According to the same statements, the pair were in Croatia since late January.