Israeli national Nati Meir, a former Romanian parliamentarian detained this week in Rhodes, claims he previously served as a Mossad agent operating in Romania. Meir made this assertion in an affidavit to a Greek court in an attempt to prevent his extradition to Romania.
Meir’s arrest in Rhodes follows an Interpol warrant issued by Romania, which alleges he fled the country in 2016 to evade an 11-year prison sentence for criminal fraud. Romania has formally requested his extradition from Greece.
Meir’s attorney, Nir Yaslovitzh, filed a petition in Rhodes court opposing the extradition, calling it a “witch hunt” by Romania despite Meir having served a five-year sentence. Yaslovitzh argues that Romanian authorities allowed Meir to leave the country and continue to persecute him without legal grounds.
In his statement to the court, Meir explained, "I was a Mossad agent sent to Romania, where I lived for 20 years from 1996 to 2016. I was elected to the Romanian Parliament in 2004, but shortly after my Mossad ties became apparent, a relentless campaign began to discredit me with false criminal charges, effectively ending my political career."
Yaslovitzh added that Romania’s pursuit of Meir reflects ongoing political persecution, citing a similar 2022 incident when Israel intervened to secure Meir's release from a Dubai detention. He called on Israel’s Foreign Ministry to help secure Meir's release once again.
A Rhodes court will review Meir’s case next week.
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