DEEPENING COOPERATION WITH EUROJUST

SARAJEVO, OCTOBER 8 /SRNA/ - Minister of Justice in the Council of Ministers Davor Bunoza and Eurojust President Michael Schmid today signed a working arrangement in The Hague, creating the conditions for the full operational implementation of BiH's cooperation agreement with the European agency.

The arrangement sets out in detail how the competent institutions will cooperate, with one of its key elements being the secondment of a BiH liaison prosecutor to Eurojust, who will serve as a direct link between domestic judicial institutions and the agency.

"I am pleased that BiH will no longer lag behind countries in the region when it comes to cooperation with Eurojust. We have worked hard together to reach this point, and I believe this is an important step in the fight against cross-border crime," Bunoza said.

The working arrangement also provides for the appointment of two deputy liaison prosecutors and establishes contact points at the Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH to facilitate the exchange of information and participation in Eurojust operational meetings and coordination centers.

This creates mechanisms for more direct cooperation in individual cases requiring coordinated action by the judicial institutions of BiH and EU member states.

Bunoza thanked Schmid and his associates for their cooperation throughout the process, stressing that the signing of the working arrangement was another concrete step by BiH towards European standards and the European judicial area.

BiH Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić also attended the meeting and the signing of the working arrangement.