ATHENS (Reuters) – Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz has appealed a Greek court ruling ordering his extradition to Romania on an arrest warrant, his lawyer and sources said on Tuesday.
Steinmetz has appealed against the decision at the country’s Supreme Court, his lawyer Stavros Togias said.
“Despite our deepest disappointment, the ruling does not bend my client’s confidence in Greek justice,” Togias said in a statement.
Steinmetz is currently held in custody while in hospital in Greece.
He was initially detained by Greek police on Oct. 13, hours after he arrived on a private aircraft at Athens International Airport.
An arrest warrant has been issued against him in relation to a case dating back several years and concerning his involvement in a group which allegedly illegally tried to secure land rights in Romania.
Steinmetz’s legal advisors have dismissed the Romanian authorities’ accusations as “unfounded” and called the extradition requests by Romania “abusive”, arguing that he has the right to travel freely.
In 2022, a Greek court that examined his case had ruled against his extradition. Last year, Cyprus’ Court of Appeal also ruled against his extradition to Romania, overturning a lower court ruling. A court in Italy has also rejected the request.
(Reporting by Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
