Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch Plahotniuc Detained in Greece
Source: Balkan Insight
Moldova’s police on Tuesday said it had received confirmation through Interpol in Athens that Greek authorities had detained the fugitive oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, an internationally sanctioned figure on the run since 2019.
“A short time ago, the official Interpol communication channels in Athens, Greece, informed us that two Moldovan citizens were detained. One of them is Vladimir Plahotniuc,” Moldovan police announced on its Facebook page.
The investigative newspaper Ziarul de Garda said Plahotniuc was apprehended at Athens airport while attempting to board a flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE.
“Two individuals … were detained at 4:30 a.m. this morning,” said the head of Moldova’s police, Viorel Cernauțeanu, as quoted by TV8 news channel. The same source reported that Plahotniuc was traveling under a false identity.
Greek officials have not yet issued a public statement.
The news marks a significant development in a years-long international search for Plahotniuc, who fled Moldova in June 2019 following the collapse of the Democratic Party-led government that he effectively controlled from behind the scenes.
Once regarded as the most powerful man in Moldova, Plahotniuc has been accused of running the country as a personal fiefdom, manipulating the judiciary, controlling media outlets and exerting a deep influence over political and economic institutions.
Plahotniuc is wanted in Moldova on charges including corruption, money laundering and involvement in the so-called “theft of the billion” – a massive banking fraud uncovered in 2014 in which over 1 billion US dollars vanished from Moldova’s financial system. The scandal devastated the country’s economy and eroded public trust in state institutions.
Despite mounting legal pressure and international sanctions, including US sanctions imposed for corruption and undermining democratic processes, Plahotniuc has evaded justice for years. He was believed to have moved between several countries, including the United States, Turkey and the UAE, while Moldovan authorities struggled to secure his extradition.
Plahotniuc has dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated attacks orchestrated by his opponents. His extradition process could also face delays and legal obstacles, depending on how Greek authorities proceed and whether he chooses to contest the extradition.
His reported detention comes at a politically sensitive time for Moldova, which is readying for high-stakes parliamentary elections at the end of September. The pro-European government has made the dismantling of oligarchic networks and the reform of the judiciary central pillars of its political agenda.
In a related development, the European Council announced last week that it had imposed sanctions on seven individuals and three entities for “actions aimed at destabilising the Republic of Moldova”.
Those sanctioned are associates of Ilan Shor, a fugitive businessman sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for his role in the 2014 “theft of the billion” scandal. Shor currently resides in Russia, where he is believed to coordinate the activities of the pro-Russian “Victory” bloc.
Moldovan authorities have accused the bloc of illegally financing electoral campaigns and undermining the democratic process. Last year, Moldovan courts barred the group from participating in both the presidential election and a national referendum on Moldova’s path toward European Union membership.
The original article: belongs to Balkan Insight .
