The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has said it does not know when a court of appeal in Rome will consider the question of Arsen Avakov's extradition, PGO spokesman Yuriy Boichenko has said.
"We are preparing a package of documents. These are the materials of a criminal case on the charges [brought against Avakov], as well as other documents that are needed for the extradition process. They will also be given to the Italian side within a week, as we promised, in order to conduct the extradition process. The decision on his extradition will be taken by an Italian court," he said.
He said that the extradition process usually take several months, if there are no delays in the process.
While commenting on a statement posted on the Web site of the Italian police that the court of appeals in Rome will take a decision on extradition, Boichenko said: "We were not told when this court hearing, at which the decision on Avakov’s extradition arrest will be taken, will be held. He is now in custody and is in a local prison. "
He said that the extradition arrest lasts 40 days.
"Over this period, all of the necessary documents have to be collected to take a decision on extradition," Boichenko said.
According to Channel 5, the court in Rome had already begun to consider the case.
On Tuesday, March 27, reports of Avakov’s detention in Italy were confirmed. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office said that it was preparing a package of documents for Avakov’s extradition to Ukraine. In this regard, the leadership of the Batkivschyna Party sent letters to the Interpol secretary general and the Italian government with a request to take into account "the obvious political motivation" behind Avakov’s criminal prosecution, and release him.
On January 31, charges were brought against Avakov under Part 3, Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He was accused of illegally transferring 55 hectares of land
On March 20, 2012, Chervonozavodsky court refused to cancel an instruction on the opening of a criminal case against Avakov.. Avakov was put on Interpol’s wanted list on March 21.
Avakov headed Kharkiv Regional State Administration from February 2004 until February 2010. He chairs the Kharkiv regional organization of the Batkivschyna Party.
