Extradition of Vedran Pavlek from Kazakhstan could take weeks

The extradition of former Croatian ski official Vedran Pavlek from Kazakhstan could take several weeks.

Croatian authorities confirmed his arrest on Friday in Almaty and have begun the extradition process.

Pavlek is suspected of leading a criminal conspiracy that siphoned 30 million euros from the national skiing federation. The case could implicate numerous athletes, sports officials, and others who allegedly received payments tied to those funds.

Croatia does not have an extradition treaty with Kazakhstan, which could slow the process. Interior Minister Davor Božinović said this means the procedure may take time.

“There are different kinds of extradition procedures. On the one hand, Croatia and Kazakhstan are parties to various international conventions. On the other, Kazakhstan has a special international cooperation agreement with the European Union, of which Croatia is a member.

“Cooperation between our two police forces through Interpol was excellent and led to the arrest, so we do not expect any issues,” Božinović said.