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A Greek court on Thursday ruled against extraditing the Russian whistle-blower ignited to the political scandal in Malta.
Maria Efimova was named by an investigative journalist as the source of internal bank documents which prove that Michelle Muscat, wife of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, owned a secret company in Panama.
Joseph Muscat and his wife have denied the accusations, while Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in October 2017. Three men have been charged with killing her, but police have yet to give a motive.
Maria Efimova, the former banker, terrified about her and her children live, fled Malta Island to Greece last year saying, “If I go back to Malta I will not be alive for very long.”
Maltese prosecutors filed a European warrant against Maria Efimova asking for her to be tried in Maltese court. While a group of 36 European parliament members signed a letter this April calling for the former Russian banker not to be extradited to Malta.
The 35-years Russian surrendered to Greek police last month and today the Greek court ordered her release.
Efimova denies the Pilatus Bank charges of embezzlement and has counter-sued the bank for failing to pay her salary.
Maria Efimova, according to the Greek court, will be protected from deportation threats to Malta.
