With reference to media reports on requested person Fikret Abdić, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issues the following press release:
THE JUDGES MAKE DECISIONS INDEPENDENTLY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina received a letter from the INTERPOL, informing the Court that the Republic of Croatia has issued an international warrant requesting the arrest of Fikret Abdić on a suspicion of committing a criminal offense in that country. The INTERPOL indicated in its letter to the Court that the requested person is a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina and, what is legally relevant, the criminal offense with respect to which the requested person is being sought was allegedly committed in 2001. The 2012 inter-state agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia on extradition of citizens does not apply to the 2001 criminal offenses, as also indicated by the INTERPOL.
Accordingly, and on the basis of the principle of judicial economy, the judge on duty did not order that the requested person be apprehended. The principle of judicial economy and efficiency requires justified use of resources and time, which is why there was no need or reason in the present case for neither any court proceedings nor costs production on the basis of lawsuits filed on the grounds of unjustified deprivation of liberty.
Equating this case with other extradition cases, as was done by some media, is incorrect and absolutely unfounded from the legal point of view. Factually and legally different cases logically result in different actions on the part of the Court and those actions are at any rate subject to review and supervision by higher appellate instances.
In addition, the President of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has neither powers to act in extradition cases nor was he the one who made the decision, and he was neither aware of the case nor was he required to be aware of it pursuant to his legal powers.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina calls upon the media to publish their reports in a precise and proper manner.