Croatia Releases Former Top Spy Sought by Germany

A former Croatian top spy sought by Germany whose case sparked a row between the European Union and Croatia, its newest member, was released from detention Friday pending an extradition ruling.

A court in Zagreb ruled that Josip Perkovic should be freed following an appeal from his lawyer, but he will not be allowed to leave the Croatian capital and his passport was seized, spokesman Kresimir Devcic told reporters.

A ruling on his possible extradition to Germany is expected next week.

Perkovic, a former Yugoslav secret service agent and Croatia's ex-head of intelligence, was arrested on Wednesday after the country lifted a limitation it had imposed on extraditions within the EU.

He is wanted for alleged involvement in the 1983 murder of a Croatian dissident in Germany.

Another former secret service agent, sought by Germany in the same case, was also arrested.

Perkovic opposes his extradition to Germany claiming he would not have a fair trial there, his lawyer Anto Nobilo said.

The case sparked a row between the EU and Croatia right after it joined the bloc last July.

Just days before becoming a member, Croatia changed its domestic law implementing the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), which regulates extradition between EU member states.

The change in the law made it impossible to extradite persons wanted for crimes allegedly committed before August 2002, the date the EAW was introduced.

The move left the Balkan country sharply at odds with its 27 partners, notably Germany, which was seeking Perkovic's arrest.

Following the dispute with Brussels, Zagreb eventually amended the law in October.

Local media have speculated that Zagreb was reluctant to extradite Perkovic as he may hold compromising information on influential people within Croatian politics and society.

The government has denied its change to the law was connected to his case, saying its intention was to protect veterans of the 1990s independence war from being investigated by the EU.

Since January 1, Croatia has arrested a total of 10 people wanted within the EU, among them a man sought by Slovakia where he was sentenced to two years in jail for a 1993 kidnapping of a deputy.