Overall there is a positive trend in cooperation with other nations in terms of extradition, Chaika said. Two and a half times as many suspects have been sent to Russia from abroad, compared to two years ago. Russia’s most favorable partners in this area are Germany, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. Also the nations of Lebanon, Guyana, Trinidad y Tobago, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Chile are no longer a place to hide for Russian criminals, the prosecutor said.

“International cooperation is definitely one of the most important tasks of the General Prosecutor’s Office. We participate in almost all major projects sponsored by the UN, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Council, the G8, the EU, the OSCE, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and others,” he said.

On the domestic side Chaika reported on the main goals his agency faced in 2009, including investigations into price manipulation of pharmaceuticals, illegal gambling, labor conflicts over salary debts, and corruption among officials. He said more than 800 criminal cases against senior federal and regional officials were sent to courts over nine months last year.