The Ministry of Justice of Moldova has initiated the extradition procedure for Vladislav Plahotniuc, an oligarch who fled the country. His arrest in Greece was reported on July 22, as stated by Ministry of Justice representative Loreta Lisnic in a comment to NewsMaker.
Lisnic noted that the initiative for Plahotniuc’s extradition was launched “after the official notification from the Interpol bureau in Chisinau about his arrest in Greece.”
“The extradition request will be sent to the competent authorities of Greece”
– Loreta Lisnic, representative of the Ministry of Justice of Moldova
She also emphasized that the Ministry of Justice is closely monitoring the developments to “protect the interests” of the country.
Two Moldovan citizens were detained in Greece, including Vlad Plahotniuc, the former leader of the Democratic Party. The second detainee was Constantin Țuțu, a former deputy and close associate of Plahotniuc.
Details about Vlad Plahotniuc
Vlad Plahotniuc is one of Moldova’s most influential oligarchs, who served as the first deputy speaker of parliament from December 30, 2010, to February 15, 2013. In June 2019, he fled the country, initially staying in the United States, but in January 2020 his presence there was declared undesirable. According to unconfirmed reports, he may currently be in Northern Cyprus.
Arrest warrants have been issued in Moldova in three criminal cases against him. Plahotniuc is accused of involvement in the theft of one billion dollars from Moldovan banks in 2014. According to the prosecution, he received 39 million dollars and 3.5 million euros through companies controlled by the pro-Kremlin politician Ilan Shor.
Interpol issued an international search notice for Plahotniuc on February 7, 2025. It is known that he holds passports from Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Mexico, while the Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that Plahotniuc’s Mexican passport is forged.
Constantin Țuțu is also accused of illegal enrichment and submitting false information in his income declaration in Moldova.