Justice Ministry sent Plahotniuc extradition request to Greece
The Ministry of Justice rejected accusations of delaying the extradition process for Vladimir Plahotniuc and dismissed claims that the authorities in Chisinau intentionally postponed sending the necessary documents to Greece. Minister of Justice Veronica Mihailov-Moraru stated at an executive meeting on Wednesday, August 6, that the Moldovan authorities acted "diligently and professionally." According to her, after the Prosecutor General's Office submitted the extradition request on July 24, the Ministry of Justice sent a separate request on August 4.
The authorities of the Republic of Moldova promptly notified the Greek authorities, officially requesting the extradition of citizen Vladimir Plahotniuc," stated the minister.
According to the cited source, two responsible institutions submitted the official extradition request within the legally mandated time frame.
"On July 24, the Prosecutor General's Office filed an extradition request, and on August 4, the Ministry of Justice submitted a separate request. Therefore, we refute any claims that the authorities are delaying the extradition procedures. Citizen Plahotniuc was arrested based on a warrant issued at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office, which also has the authority to request extradition during the criminal investigation stage. Additionally, the Ministry of Justice can request extradition for cases that are in the judicial phase, namely when they are in court," explained Veronica Mihailov-Moraru.
The Minister also emphasized that the extradition process is conducted in accordance with European norms.
"The European Convention on Extradition stipulates that within 40 days of a person’s arrest, the authorities of the concerned citizen may submit an extradition request, which must include all supporting documents and their translations," detailed the Minister of Justice.
Regarding the next steps in the extradition process, the Minister indicated that the decision lies with the Greek authorities.
"Moreover, the examination of the extradition request is at the discretion of the Greek authorities. In principle, the Republic of Moldova has positive experiences collaborating with the Greek authorities on extraditions. Each case is unique, and the Greek authorities may request additional documents," added Veronica Mihailov-Moraru.
Regarding the case of former MP Constantin Țuțu, the Minister said that the Ministry does not have jurisdiction in this matter.
"The Ministry of Justice can only request extradition when we have a court decision declaring the person wanted or convicting them. As for Mr. Constantin Țuțu, the Ministry of Justice has not received any notification," asserted Minister Veronica Mihailov-Moraru.
We remind you that former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc was detained in Greece on July 22 and is currently being held in the largest prison in the country while awaiting extradition to the Republic of Moldova.
Moldovan prosecutors accuse him of creating and leading a criminal organization, committing fraud, and money laundering, through which he allegedly benefitted from over $39.2 million and €3.5 million stolen from Banca de Economii, Unibank, and Banca Sociala.
The oligarch, who has been a fugitive for more than six years, faces a prison sentence of 8 to 15 years.
According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, to ensure compensation for the damages caused by the crime and the potential special confiscation, law enforcement agencies have seized assets belonging to Plahotniuc valued at over one billion lei. These assets include land for construction, residential and non-residential properties, equity in various companies, cultural and recreational facilities, financial funds, and assets located abroad.
