Former minister’s son to be extradited to Greece

The island’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the extradition of the son of a former minister who is wanted in Greece in connection with money laundering.

The Supreme Court rejected Michalis Michaelides’ appeal against the Limassol district court’s decision to hand him over to Greece where authorities want to question him as part of a graft inquiry against former defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos.

Michaelides’ father Dinos, the island’s former interior minister, has already been handed over to the neighbouring country for the same reasons.

Michalis Michaelides will remain in custody until his extradition that must take place within 10 days.

Father and son deny any wrongdoing.

Tsohatzopoulos, a founding member of Greece’s socialist PASOK party, is facing charges of accepting kickbacks for arms contracts when he was defence minister.

He denies the charges.

Greek prosecutors allege Tsohatzopoulos siphoned funds overseas. They say one of his co-defendants has alleged that Michaelides helped Tsohatzopoulos set up bank accounts, and that they want to question the former Cypriot minister about that.