Paul of Romania to be extradited to Romania after French court rejects final appeal

France's highest court has finalized the extradition of Paul of Romania to Romanian authorities, marking a significant step in the judicial cooperation between the two nations.

The Court of Cassation's decision definitively rejects Paul of Romania's appeal against his handover, as confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. This ruling allows for the execution of a European arrest warrant, a key instrument for criminal justice cooperation within the European Union.

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The decision of the French supreme court reconfirms the efficient judicial cooperation between Romania and the French Republic and the common commitment of both states to apply the principles of the rule of law and respect the obligations undertaken within the European judicial cooperation mechanisms.

The Ministry of Justice highlighted that this decision reaffirms the effective judicial cooperation between Romania and France and their shared commitment to the rule of law and European judicial mechanisms. The court's ruling aligns with the European Court of Justice's principle of mutual trust among member states, where extradition is the norm unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Paul of Romania, whose full name is Prince Paul Philippe of Romania, was sentenced in December 2020 to three years and four months in prison for his involvement in the "Băneasa Farm" case. Prosecutors allege he was part of a group that sought to acquire properties through fraudulent claims between 2006 and 2013, causing an estimated damage of 145 million euros. He fled Romania before his final sentencing and was placed on an international wanted list. Despite being located in Paris and later Malta, previous extradition requests were denied. A new European arrest warrant issued in 2025 led to his recent detention in France.

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In its constant jurisprudence, the Court of Justice of the European Union has reconfirmed the principle of mutual trust between member states, emphasizing that the execution of a European arrest warrant is the rule, and refusal of execution or extradition can only occur in exceptional situations, strictly delimited by European Union law.