Greece to extradite tycoon Plahotniuc to Moldova this week, source says

Leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova Vladimir Plahotniuc delivers a speech during a rally demanding a instauration of parliament coalition, successful Chisinau, Moldova, June 9, 2019. [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]

Greece plans to extradite erstwhile person and concern tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc to Moldova this week to look charges implicit a $1 cardinal theft from the banking system, a ineligible source said connected Wednesday, days earlier the state holds a delicate election.

A tribunal ruled successful favour of the extradition implicit the lawsuit known successful Moldova arsenic the “theft of the century” successful August but the justness curate concisely paused the move, irritating the pro-European authorities successful Chisinau which has pledged to combat corruption and accused Moscow of predetermination meddling.

“Even if helium [Plahotniuc] hopes that aft the elections Moldova will autumn into the hands of Russia and helium will beryllium capable to travel location freely, the institutions indispensable bring him location successful handcuffs,” Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said successful a September 17 statement.

Plahotniuc has denied immoderate wrongdoing, saying allegations against him were based connected “slander and governmental hatred.”

Extradition expected connected Thursday

He is expected to permission Greece connected Thursday morning, the source said. Documents reviewed by Reuters amusement the ministry approved his instrumentality to Moldova precocious past week aft a hold that a ineligible source said was owed to explanations helium had to supply connected a lawsuit raised against him by Romania.

There was nary contiguous remark from the Moldovan government.

Plahotniuc is the main suspect successful transportation with the disappearance successful 2014 of $1 billion, a sum which then equaled 12% of Moldova’s GDP.

Before fleeing Moldova successful 2019, helium was the person of the Democratic party, portion of the governing conjugation successful 2016-2019 and served arsenic lawman speaker of parliament. While successful office, helium wielded large power implicit institutions.

In 2023, the EU imposed sanctions connected Plahotniuc and six others for actions that it said destabilised and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and chap ex-Soviet state Ukraine.

According to Greek police, Plahotniuc, 59, has lived successful 22 countries since 2023. They arrested him astatine Athens airdrome aft helium had boarded a level to Dubai, acting connected an Interpol announcement which states that helium held 16 passports, including from Romania, Mexico and Russia.

Russia, which says it wants Plahotniuc extradited there to look drugs-related charges, denies interfering successful Moldova’s affairs. [Reuters]