Greece intends to extradite the oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc in the Republic of Moldova on Thursday, a few days before the elections
Vladimir Plahotniuc, in February 2019, after a press statement in Chisinau, Moldova. CREDIT LINE: VADIM GHIRDA / AP / Profimedia
Vladimir Plahotniuc is the main suspect in the “robbery of the century”, the theft of a billion dollars in the Moldovan banking system in 2014, an amount that equals 12% of the Moldovan GDP, writes Reuters.
Greece intends to extradite former politician Vladimir Plahotniuc in the Republic of Moldova this week, where businessman has to meet the accusations of a billion dollars in the banking system, a judicial source for Reuters said on Wednesday before the country organized the parliamentary elections on September 28.
He is expected to leave Greece on the morning of September 25, the source said.
A Greek court was pronounced in favor of extradition in the case known in Moldova as the “theft of the century” in August, but the Minister of Justice temporarily suspended the procedure, irritating the pro-European government in Chisinau.
Reversal of the situation. Vladimir Plahotniuc will be extradited from Greece to the Republic of Moldova / extradition had previously been “suspended”
“Even if he (Plahotniuc) hopes that after the Moldovan elections he will fall into the hands of Russia and will be able to return home, the institutions must bring him home in handcuffs,” said Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean on September 17.
Plahotniuc denied any illegal deed, stating that the accusations against him are based on “slander and political hatred.”
“To be very clear, Romania has not blocked anything”
The documents analyzed by Reuters show that the ministry approved his return to Moldova at the end of last week, after a delay that, according to a legal source cited by Reuters, was due to the explanations that Plahotniuc had to offer in a case against Romania.
However, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that Bucharest did not block the extradition process.
“To be very clear, Romania has not blocked anything, on the contrary, Romania always helped us, including the dimension to fight with criminal groups. So I want to thank Bucharest for helping Chisinau on all dimensions,” said Recean at Podcastul Rock FM, according to Moldova1.
Plahotniuc's files
Plahotniuc is the main suspect in relation to the disappearance in 2014 for a billion dollars, an amount equivalent to 12% of the Moldovan GDP.
Before running away from Moldova in 2019, he was the leader of the Democratic Party, part of the ruling coalition during 2016-2019, and held the position of vice-president of the Parliament.
During his term, he exerted a great influence on the institutions.
A Romanian official, filmed with prostitutes in a hotel room in Chisinau. The episode of the Moldovan series “Plaha” that supplies speculation about an important oligarch
In 2023, the EU imposed sanctions against Plahotniuc and six other people for actions that, according to the EU, destabilized and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and Ukraine.
According to the Greek police, Plahotniuc, 59 years old, lived in 22 countries of 2023. He was arrested at Athens airport after embarking on a plane to Dubai, following an Interpol notification that he had 16 passports, including Romania, Mexico and Russia.
Russia, who claims that he wants Plahotniuc's extradition to be tried for drug accusations, denies that he had intervened in Moldova's business.
In Romania, the authorities opened an investigation against Plahotniuc, under the suspicion that several Romanian documents held by him are forged.
