"Indonesia remains open to forging international cooperation in the field of law. We, however, must consider the principle of justice and our national interest," he said here Saturday.
At a meeting with Bulgarian Ambassador to Indonesia Tanya Dimitrova here on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, he noted that the process of transferring prisoners requires an in-depth study and agreement between the two parties, considering that those prisoners have only started serving their sentences since February 2024.
Mahendra underlined that the transfers of foreign prisoners cannot be decided instantly and need to be reviewed thoroughly.
On that occasion, Ambassador Dimitrova conveyed her interest in the political developments in Indonesia, especially the new cabinet under President Prabowo Subianto's leadership.
She also expressed hope that Indonesia would consider the possibility of transferring the Bulgarian prisoners to their home country.
At the meeting, the minister also highlighted several other important issues, including the implementation of the new Criminal Code in 2026.
He also spoke about Indonesia's bid for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) membership, which has a significant role in supporting the achievement of the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
In addition to the issue of three Bulgarian prisoners, the meeting also discussed several key issues, including legal cooperation.
The meeting is expected to create better bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Bulgaria which can bolster the two countries' relations in the future.
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Translator: Agatha Olivia, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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