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France Seeks Interpol Arrest of Ex‑Moldovan PM Filat After In‑Absentia Conviction

An appeal in France leaves cross‑border execution uncertain under Moldova’s ban on extraditing nationals.

Overview

  • Moldovan police spokesperson Diana Fetko said Interpol’s Paris bureau notified Chişinău of an international arrest request for Vladimir Filat.
  • AFP reported a French court sentenced Filat in absentia to two years in prison and a €100,000 fine on money‑laundering charges.
  • Filat said he has filed an appeal and invoked the presumption of innocence, stressing the ruling is not final.
  • The investigation centers on real estate purchases in southeastern France in 2012 and 2014 and a villa on French territory near Geneva linked to his niece.
  • Legal experts in Moldova note the country does not extradite its citizens but could consider recognizing and enforcing a French sentence domestically.