Supreme Court hears Michaelides’ appeal

 

Lawyers representing former minister Dinos Michaelides, wanted by Greece in connection with money laundering, were on Tuesday arguing their appeal against his extradition before the Supreme Court.

The defence’s main argument is that parliament and the government had intervened in the work of the judiciary by changing the constitution to make his extradition possible.

The Supreme Court must decide within eight days whether to uphold a Limassol district court decision to hand Michaelides over to Greece.

The Limassol court had ordered the former minister’s arrest pending his extradition.

Michaelides and his son Michalis are wanted in Greece in connection with alleged kickbacks paid in the purchase by Greece of Russian TOR-M1 surface-to-air missile systems.

They have been fighting extradition for the past couple of months.

His son’s case will be heard on September 4.

The pair had been implicated after the arrest of former Greek defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos in connection with the case.