ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Italy have established a legal framework for mutual legal assistance and the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of their citizens. On Jan. 22, Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Askhat Daulbayev and Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan Stefano Ravagnan signed agreements on the mutual extradition of criminals and mutual legal assistance in criminal cases.
Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan Stefano Ravagnan and Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Askhat Daulbayev
At a press briefing following the signing ceremony, Daulbayev emphasised that the agreements have become possible due to the steady development of legal relations with the European Union and its growing trust in the legal system of Kazakhstan.
As stressed by the parties, the signing of the agreements is another important step toward strengthening partnership in combating crime and improving the supervisory and law enforcement agencies’ work in general.
Daulbayev noted that after the agreement comes into force, the two countries will have serious legal grounds for rendering mutual legal assistance and protecting the rights and interests of citizens of both Kazakhstan and Italy.
“We have already concluded similar agreements with Spain, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic and are completing negotiations on concluding correspondent agreements with Monaco, Slovakia and other European countries,” he said.
The parties said that the signing of the documents will bring bilateral legal relations to a new level and will provide a new impetus to the further expansion and strengthening of cooperation.
Italy was one of the first European countries with which Kazakhstan signed a full package of intergovernmental agreements in the criminal and legal spheres. The agreement between the two states on the transfer of sentenced persons was signed in November 2013 and ratified by Kazakhstan last autumn.
The agreements are part of the implementation of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev’s state-of-the-nation address, which highlighted the necessity of strengthening regional and national security and reinforcing the legal protection of Kazakhstan’s citizens abroad.
