26 Jun THE SUPREME COURT REJECTS EXTRADITION REQUEST TO KOSOVO, CONSIDERING IT A NON-INDEPENDENT STATE

In its decision No 484/2021, the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) rejected the request of the Kosovo authorities for the extradition of our client, a Kosovar national, to face trial there for the offences of a series of armed robberies on the grounds that Kosovo is not a sovereign and independent state recognised by Greece.

By that decision, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Council of Appeal of Nafplio, which had held that Greece had allegedly engaged in de facto recognition of Kosovo by participating in EULEX and KFOR committees based in Pristina and by promoting communication between that State and international organisations, a view which was also adopted by the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court. The Chamber came in its above-mentioned unanimous decision to expressly state that these choices belong to the executive power, so that such an interpretation would run counter to the principle of separation of powers.