Shameful that Malta’s police ‘even entertained requesting Efimova’s extradition’ – PD

In a hard-hitting statement yesterday, Partit Demokratiku slammed the Malta Police Force over the extradition request it had made to Greece for Pilatus Bank whistleblower Maria Efimova.

It said, in no uncertain terms, that “It is shameful that the Malta Police even entertained requesting Maria Efimova’s extradition in the first place. It should have been withdrawn, especially after the first Greek court denied it.

“It bears reminding that Ms Efimova had exposed the Prime Minister’s wife as the ultimate beneficiary owner of Egrant. All the claims of Ms Efimova that could be tested by the facts have proved to be true.”

Partit Demokratiku noted with satisfaction the decision of the Greek Court of Appeal to not extradite Efimova back to Malta and denounced the negative exposure Malta’s institutions are getting in the international press.

“It has been said countless times before, but it bears repeating, that Malta’s reputation wouldn’t be in the dire straits it is in if the Prime Minister had done the right thing when the Pilatus Bank story had been exposed by Daphne Caruana Galizia on her blog.

“Malta’s reputation wouldn’t be in the dire straits it is in if the Commissioner of Police had acted promptly to seal the Bank, instead of stating that it was a matter of no interest. Then its owner would not have been in a position to take out the two suitcases in the late evening of that same day.

“It is very telling that the Prime Minister faced the press and gave the order for the go-ahead for a magisterial enquiry on very specific terms only after a private jet which, by all accounts, appears to have been carrying the said bags, had left the island en route to Dubai/Azerbaijan.”

PD acknowledged that it is no use crying over spilt milk, but reiterated that “the long road to regaining our lost reputation will only begin when the Prime Minister tenders his resignation as Prime Minister, together with all those involved in these scandals”.

It added: “Daphne Caruana Galizia, who has posthumously received many awards for her incisive journalism, has yet to be officially honoured in her own country by her compatriots. And in the meantime, today we commemorate the eighth month since she, who had been exposing scandal after scandal, was blown up in a car bomb.

“The hidden hand, or hands, that ordered her killing are still at large.”

Thursday’s verdict

The request for the extradition of Pilatus Bank whistleblower Maria Efimova was denied by the Greek Court of Appeal on Thursday.

Talking on Twitter after the Greek court’s decision, Efimova commented: “Thank you, Greece!!! And thank you everyone who supported me!!!”

Before the court case, she had tweeted: “Waiting for the Greek Supreme Court decision. My lawyer advised me not to appear in the Court, so to avoid being arrested if the decision would be negative. However, I’m not going to hide, I will appear in the Court and let it be as it should be.”

In the wake of the verdict, MEP David Casa, who travelled to Athens three times to work with Maria Efimova’s legal team, remarked: “All roads lead to

Pilatus Bank. Pilatus Bank was complicit in corruption and money-laundering for politically exposed persons at the highest levels of the Maltese government. Maria was a witness to this illicit activity and the information she provided has proved to be accurate time and time again.

“Those who – at great personal risk – expose wrongdoing deserve protection, not only with words but also through our actions. I welcome the decision of the Greek court and am hopeful that this will give Maria the peace of mind and tranquillity she very much deserves.”

In April, a Greek prosecutor appealed a Greek court’s decision to not extradite Efimova back to Malta. Efimova had then been released from custody in Greece after the Greek court order, pending appeal.

Efimova was one of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s sources on Pilatus Bank. She had alleged to the murdered journalist that Michelle Muscat, the Prime Minister’s wife, was the ultimate beneficiary of Egrant. The allegation was that money was transferred through Pilatus Bank. Efimova had testified in a magisterial inquiry on the Egrant allegations.

Efimova had sued Pilatus Bank over unpaid wages after she was fired. The bank hit back by claiming that she had misappropriated €2,000. In another case, she is charged with making false accusations against three police officers.

The Russian had fled Malta, claiming that she feared for her life. After the European Arrest Warrants were issued, she gave herself up to the police in Athens and was jailed.

She is now a free woman.

Maria Efimova