MEMORANDUMON PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN("Off. Herald of RS - Treaties", No. 3/2026) |
The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia and the The General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”,
guided by the friendly relations between the two countries,
expressing their mutual desire and interest in enhancing the effectiveness of asset recovery, combating organized crime and corruption, and providing mutual legal assistance,
convinced that the implementation of joint projects and the exchange of expertise will strengthen cooperation between the States of the Parties,
aiming of advancing international legal cooperation in the fields of identification (tracing) of assets, verification of the origin of assets, application of provisional and interim measures, and the recovery of illicitly acquired assets to the State, as well as the exchange of information,
have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The purpose of this Memorandum is to define partnership mechanisms and forms of cooperation aimed at the efficient use of the professional, expert, informational capacities and experience of the Parties.
The Parties intend to develop and enhance cooperation in the fields of professional training and the exchange of experience related to the identification, tracing, and confiscation of assets derived from criminal activity. Such cooperation shall also extend to the protection of the economic interests of the Parties and the fight against international organized crime and corruption through scientific and practical cooperation and the development of human resources.
The Parties shall seek ways to establish mutually beneficial relations with each other and with potential partners and shall engage in activities aimed at utilizing the experience of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the detection, tracing, and management of assets derived from corruption and other criminal activities.
This Memorandum governs the exchange of information and documents between the Parties, with the exception of confidential information.
Scanned electronic copies of documents exchanged by electronic mail between the Parties in accordance with this Memorandum shall be deemed valid as original documents until the exchange of original documents is completed.
This Memorandum shall serve as a basis for the coordination of actions between the Parties for the purpose of achieving the objectives set forth herein.
Article 2
With a view to enhancing interaction between the competent authorities, the Parties, within their respective competences, intend to:
(1) organize activities aimed at staff development and training;
(2) convene joint meetings, seminars, conferences, and forums;
(3) facilitate the mutual exchange of experience in investigations, detection, provisional and permanent confiscation of assets derived from criminal activity, as well as in the management thereof, including, where appropriate, the sharing of such assets between the Parties or their return;
(4) consult on issues related to improving the effectiveness of the implementation of international legal instruments in the field of asset tracing;
(5) assist in the establishment and development of relations with international organizations and foundations;
(6) carry out joint analyses to assess the potential for expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation in the tracing and confiscation of assets derived from criminal activity;
(7) exchange and analyze information available to the Parties in order to promote cooperation and enhance the effectiveness of their activities;
(8) exchange official documents, requests, and information letters in accordance with established legal procedures;
(9) where necessary and in the manner prescribed by the national legislation of the Parties, provide mutual assistance in:
- conducting investigations, collecting, analyzing, and tracing information on the origin of assets available to the Parties for the purpose of suppressing illicit acquisition of assets;
- judicial examination of requests for determining the legal status or ownership of assets;
- ensuring the recognition and enforcement of decisions of courts or other competent authorities relating to investigation (detection), verification of the lawful origin of assets, application of preliminary provisional measures and provisional measures, securing, management, sale, and confiscation of assets;
(10) carry out inter-agency interaction and coordination of activities of state authorities, law enforcement bodies, and specialized state bodies on matters of asset confiscation in the manner prescribed by the national legislation of the Parties;
(11) address each other with requests for information, seizure, other provisional measures, interim measures during proceedings, or confiscation of assets, as well as for the obtaining of evidence and other documents, in the manner provided for by the national legislation of the Parties;
(12) conduct international legal cooperation in criminal, administrative, judicial, and civil matters for the purpose of asset confiscation, as well as in the fields of tracing (detection), determination of origin, application of provisional and interim measures during proceedings, management of such assets during proceedings, and the sharing of permanently confiscated assets between the Parties or the return of illicitly acquired assets to one of the Parties.
Article 3
The Parties intend to undertake the following activities:
(1) holding working meetings between heads and experts of international legal cooperation units for the purpose of considering best practices in the submission and execution of requests for information;
(2) organizing practical training, including field-based training, on the exchange of experience in combating money laundering and the legalization of proceeds of crime, as well as the illicit transfer of assets, including the application of measures for conducting investigations (detection), verification of the origin of assets, preliminary provisional measures, provisional measures, measures for voluntary or compulsory return of assets, management of assets confiscated or converted into State revenue, and other related measures;
(3) discussing the legal aspects of the establishment and operation of joint investigation teams aimed at protecting the economic interests of each Party, in accordance with international and national legislation;
(4) implementing joint initiatives to inform the public about cooperation and interactions carried out pursuant to this Memorandum;
(5) engaging in other forms of interaction and cooperation as previously defined by the Parties.
The Parties shall not interfere in each other’s activities carried out within the scope of their respective competences.
For the purpose of achieving the objectives of this Memorandum, the Parties may, by mutual consent, invite other institutions, organizations, public associations, civil society entities, and representatives of companies to cooperate and participate, and may establish temporary working groups for that purpose.
Article 4
Each Party shall independently bear the costs incurred in the implementation of this Memorandum, within the limits of the funds provided in accordance with the national legislation of the Parties, unless the Parties agree otherwise in a specific case.
Article 5
In the event of any questions arising in connection with the implementation of the provisions of this Memorandum, the Parties shall exhaust all possible measures to resolve such questions through negotiations and consultations.
Article 6
For the purposes of this Memorandum, the Parties shall communicate directly through the following designated structural units:
For the Republic of Serbia:
- Ministry of the Interior, Police Directorate, Criminal Police Directorate, Service for Combating Organized Crime, Financial Investigation Unit, Belgrade;
- Ministry of Justice, Directorate for the Management of Seized Assets, Belgrade, Nemanjina Street No. 22–26, Tel.: +381 11 362 23 43, E-mail: direkcija@mpravde.gov.rs
For the Republic of Kazakhstan:
Asset Recovery Service of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with its seat at 14 Mangilik Yel Avenue, Astana 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan, Tel.: +7 7172 71 27 08, E-mail: kazaro@prokuror.kz
Each Party shall designate one or more contact persons responsible for maintaining relations with the other Party.
Article 7
The Parties may publicly announce the signing of this Memorandum by sharing the event on social media and through their official online platforms.
Information related to activities or events carried out under this Memorandum, with the exception of its specific provisions, may be published on the official websites of the Parties.
Article 8
This Memorandum may be amended or supplemented by mutual agreement of the Parties. Such amendments or supplements shall be recorded in separate protocols, which shall form an integral part of this Memorandum and shall enter into force following the procedures set out in Article 10 of this Memorandum.
Article 9
This Memorandum does not constitute an international treaty within the meaning of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 23 May 1969 and does not create legally binding rights or obligations for the Parties or their respective States under international law.
Article 10
This Memorandum shall enter into force on the date of its signature and shall remain in force for an indefinite period, unless either Party notifies the other Party in writing, at least one month in advance, of its intention to terminate its application. In the event of termination of this Memorandum, all activities initiated in accordance herewith and not yet completed shall continue and be completed under the conditions previously determined by the Parties, unless such completion is deemed impossible.
Done at Astana city on Februаry 27, 2026, in two original copies in the Serbian, Kazakh, and English languages. In the event of any divergence between the texts, the English text shall prevail.
For the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia |
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For the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan |