A Moldovan oligarch and former senior politician has been extradited from Greece accused of involvement in the theft of $1bn (£748m). Vladimir Plahotniuc, 59, was flown from Athens to Chisinau on Thursday morning and then taken to a detention centre in Moldova's capital, local officials said. The tycoon, who faces several long-running criminal cases in Moldova, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to prove his innocence.
His extradition comes days before Sunday's parliamentary elections, with President Maia Sandu warning that Moldova's independence and European future are in danger because of attempts by Russia to foment violence and spread disinformation.
Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019, when his Democratic Party was voted out of power. On Thursday morning, he was seen being escorted from the plane he arrived in by Moldovan police and Interpol officials. He was then put in a car and driven away from the airport.
In a post on social media, President Sandu wrote: If you don't give up when it's hard and keep fighting - the whole society keeps fighting - even criminals who seemed invincible come to justice.
His lawyer, Lucian Rogac, accused Sandu's pro-EU government of turning his client's extradition into a tasteless political spectacle ahead of the key elections. The tycoon is one of the main suspects in the disappearance of $1bn from three Moldovan banks in 2014 - a case known as the theft of the century.
Earlier this week, Sandu accused Moscow of pouring hundreds of millions of euros into Moldova in a bid to stoke violence and spread disinformation and fear. The Kremlin believes we are all for sale. That we are too small to resist... But Moldova is our home. And our home is not for sale, the president said.
In the current political climate, accusations of election manipulation and foreign interference loom large as Moldova prepares for its pivotal elections on September 28.
His extradition comes days before Sunday's parliamentary elections, with President Maia Sandu warning that Moldova's independence and European future are in danger because of attempts by Russia to foment violence and spread disinformation.
Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019, when his Democratic Party was voted out of power. On Thursday morning, he was seen being escorted from the plane he arrived in by Moldovan police and Interpol officials. He was then put in a car and driven away from the airport.
In a post on social media, President Sandu wrote: If you don't give up when it's hard and keep fighting - the whole society keeps fighting - even criminals who seemed invincible come to justice.
His lawyer, Lucian Rogac, accused Sandu's pro-EU government of turning his client's extradition into a tasteless political spectacle ahead of the key elections. The tycoon is one of the main suspects in the disappearance of $1bn from three Moldovan banks in 2014 - a case known as the theft of the century.
Earlier this week, Sandu accused Moscow of pouring hundreds of millions of euros into Moldova in a bid to stoke violence and spread disinformation and fear. The Kremlin believes we are all for sale. That we are too small to resist... But Moldova is our home. And our home is not for sale, the president said.
In the current political climate, accusations of election manipulation and foreign interference loom large as Moldova prepares for its pivotal elections on September 28.
