Sawt Falasteen - Malta grants bail to disputed Romanian royal wanted by home country

Paul Philip Al Romaniei, a descendant of the country's last kings, had been arrested under a 2020 European arrest warrant issued by Romania while passing through the Mediterranean island of Malta.

Since fleeing Romania after being found guilty of participating in a scheme to recover royal properties, the 75-year-old sought refuge in France, whose justice system in November rejected a Romanian extradition request.

A Maltese appeals judge wrote Monday that the disputed royal be accorded bail, considering his "series of debilitating illnesses" requiring medical attention.

The decision also cited his two cases before an EU court which argue that Paul's fundamental human rights would be breached were he to be turned over to Romania.

The court ordered Paul not to leave Malta and pay bail of 20,000 euros ($21,600) with an additional personal guarantee of 30,000 euros.

"We welcome this decision which is favourable to Prince Paul of Romania and we await with confidence the decision on the merits of the Maltese judges in accordance with European law," his lawyer, Miriame Laichi, told AFP.

In his home country, Paul has been found guilty of working with a gang of con artists to recover properties he believes are his as the heir to the last-but-one king, Carol II.

Romania sentenced him to three years and four months in jail. The affair is believed to have cost the Romanian state 145 million euros.

- Extradition challenges -

While Paul has denounced a "political" decision, Romanian authorities have challenged the refusal of both France and Malta to hand him over.

Last month, Romania defended its request for extradition at the EU's Court of Justice in Luxembourg, which is expected to deliver an opinion in several months.

Paul's father, Carol Mircea Grigore, was an illegitimate son of Carol II, who ruled from 1930 until he abdicated in 1940 in favour of his younger son, Michel I.

The royal family was expelled from Romania in 1947 by the Communists, and all its properties confiscated.

Paul's father was recognised as Carol II's son in Portugal and France in 1955 and 1963, but the link was only acknowledged by Romania in 2012.

Paul himself -- who has British, French and Romanian citizenship -- returned to live in the country in the 1990s.

But his uncle Michel, the last king, did not acknowledge him as part of the royal family and died in 2017.

Paul now says his attempts to reclaim his royal inheritance of property, land and classic artworks are the real reason for his prosecution.

Paul has also launched legal action in Paris to recover paintings removed from Romania by his uncle Michel in 1947, including two works by Renaissance master El Greco.

L.AbuTayeh--SF-PST