The extradition hearing in the case focused on the duality of the crimes Vasiljkovic allegedly committed, namely on the question of whether they would warrant extradition had they been committed in the Australian federal state of New South Wales, where Vasiljkovic was arrested.
Vasiljkovic could not be transferred to Croatia if it is established that the crimes he is suspected of are not punishable in the Australian state.
Lawyer Steven Lloyd, who is representing Croatia, described in detail the crimes Vasiljkovic is charged with in Croatia. He said that Vasiljkovic was charged with killing a person by kicking him in the head, inciting other persons to commit crimes, and killing civilians by targeting civilian buildings.
If crimes like those had happened in New South Wales, they would doubtlessly meet conditions for extradition, Lloyd said.
Vasiljkovic's lawyer Bradley Slowgrove said that Australian extradition laws did not apply to alleged war crimes, because such regulations had not been adopted.
A former commander of Serb paramilitary troops and now an Australian citizen, Vasiljkovic was arrested in Sydney on January 20 on an international warrant issued by Croatia. Croatia officially requested Australia to extradite him in early February.
Earlier this year Vasiljkovic sought to challenge his extradition to Croatia before Australia's High Court, on the grounds that Australia does not share an extradition treaty with Croatia.
The hearing before the Sydney court will continue, the AAP reported.