Former mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu – sentenced on May 13, to 10 years and 8 months in prison for corruption and caught in Greece, after fleeing the country – will not be extradited to Romania, the Court ruled on Thursday Call from Athens. After being caught, Oprescu was taken into custody and released on bail on May 31.
The Court of Appeal in Athens rejected Romania’s request for the extradition of Sorin Oprescu, who is free after paying a bail of 5,000 euros.
The Greek magistrates argued that Sorin Oprescu would not benefit from decent conditions in prisons in Romania, if he were extradited and would not be able to be treated for the diseases he suffers from, according to Antena 3. Therefore, Sorin Oprescu remains in Greece indefinitely.
Among those who testified before the court in Greece was the Adriana Nica, the life partner of Sorin Oprescu, who claimed that Oprescu would be in danger of death if he were brought to Romania.
Sentenced to 10 years in prison and put on APB, Sorin Oprescu was detained in Athens on May 17.
Oprescu told Antena 3, after he was released from pretrial detention in Athens, that he did not try to run away from Romania, but because he wanted to fulfill “his lifelong dream”. He said he was finalizing his “residency forms started 6 months ago”.