The Bucharest Court of Appeal has approved the extradition of the former director of the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Bălan, convicted of attempted disclosure of state secrets.
The decision comes following a request made by the judicial authorities of the Republic of Moldova and was granted based on international cooperation legislation and the European Extradition Convention.
The court ruled that Bălan is to be handed over to serve a sentence of one year and six months in prison, imposed by the Chișinău Court on April 15, 2026.
The former official, who holds dual Romanian and Moldovan citizenship, has expressed his agreement to the extradition.
At the same time, the Bucharest Court of Appeal has decided to arrest him for 30 days, starting from April 18 until May 17 inclusive, during which the actual handover is to be organized.
According to the court's decision, Bălan had already been detained for 24 hours between April 18 and 19. The sentence in the Republic of Moldova was delivered in absentia, but the defendant participated online in the hearing while under house arrest in Romania. He admitted to the charges and requested a simplified trial.
Accusations of treason and connections with Belarusian KGB
In addition to the conviction in the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Bălan is also the subject of a separate case opened in Romania.
He is being investigated by DIICOT for attempted treason. Prosecutors allege that he transmitted classified information to KGB officers in Belarus. The investigation focuses on contacts and exchanges of data deemed sensitive to national security. According to DIICOT, his actions endangered Romania's national security.