Greek court orders extradition of Beny Steinmetz to Romania

Israeli businessman and billionaire Benie Steinmetz, who is currently working in Greece, will be delivered to Romania for his conviction in a plot to seize lands in the country, according to the Appeal Court reports in Athens yesterday, according to Reuters reports.

In 2020, Steinmetz was convicted by the Roman Participation Court in a plot to seize lands in the country, which previously belonged to the Roman Romanian family. Since then, Romania has been handing over Steinmetz, but until yesterday it has not succeeded.

Greece and Cyprus have previously rejected requests to hand over Romania, and the arrest warrant for Interpol was canceled against SteinTz. The billionaire defense lawyer also thwarted the delivery requests submitted in other European countries. The necessary decisions were based on preventing Steinmetz from the notorious prison conditions in Romania.

But the legal status of Steinmetz changed last October, when he arrived in Athens on a trip from Tel Aviv and was arrested when landing. Greece was arrested according to the European detention note issued against Steinmetz. The businessman was released on bail of 5,000 euros, and he has been in Greece since then, pending the court’s decision in Athens regarding his delivery request.

Greece is expected to issue an arrest warrant against Steinmetz

After yesterday’s ruling, the arrest order is expected to be issued soon to Steinmetz, who is currently entering the hospital in Greece.

“This development raises difficult questions,” said Steinmetz’s lawyer, Stavrous Toujays. He insists that the decision of the Athens Court contradicts a previous decision by the court in 2022 in the same case and requesting delivery. Tujis added that the decision also contradicts the recommendation of the public prosecutor, and that Steinmetz submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court of Greece.

In addition to the possible delivery to Romania, Steinmetz currently provides a petition to the Supreme Court in Switzerland for a three -year prison sentence, has 18 months. In 2021, Steinmetz in Switzerland was convicted of paying bribes to officials in Guinea for Mining Rights. According to AFP, a Swiss court refused to appeal Steinmetz against the ruling last November, after which the businessman appealed the country’s Supreme Court.

It was published by Globes, Israel Business News – En.globes.co.il – on January 29, 2025.

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