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The arrest of Russian-born businessman Igor Grechushkin in Bulgaria is stirring fresh debate in Cyprus, where the man once lived and reportedly held a Cypriot passport. Grechushkin is the former owner of the Rhosus, the cargo ship that carried the ammonium nitrate blamed for the 2020 Beirut explosion that killed more than 200 people and devastated the Lebanese capital.
Grechushkin was detained in Sofia on an Interpol warrant after flying in from Paphos airport, a Bulgarian judicial source told AFP. But many are asking why he was not arrested in Cyprus, despite the fact that an international warrant had been pending against him for years.
But back in Cyprus, the bigger question lingers: did a Cypriot passport give him years of protection? And if so, how many others may have found safe harbor in the same way?
At the heart of the matter is Cyprus’ own law. While Lebanon has requested his arrest and extradition through Interpol’s so-called “Red Notice,” those notices are not automatically binding. Each country decides how, or if, to act on them.
In Cyprus’ case, the law makes it clear: citizens cannot be extradited to non-EU countries unless it’s on the order of the International Criminal Court. That means Grechushkin’s Cypriot passport may have shielded him on the island. Legal experts also note that Cyprus has no extradition treaty with Lebanon, making an arrest and transfer even less likely.
The Cyprus Police have kept quiet on the details, declining to confirm whether authorities had ever moved to act on the warrant while Grechushkin was living in Limassol.
The case is once again putting the country’s controversial “golden passports” scheme under the spotlight. Critics argue the program, which granted citizenship to wealthy foreigners in exchange for investment, not only tarnished Cyprus’ reputation but may also offer cover for individuals wanted abroad.
For now, Grechushkin’s fate rests with the Bulgarian courts and the international tug-of-war over who has the right, and the power, to put him on trial. But back in Cyprus, the bigger question lingers: did a Cypriot passport give him years of protection? And if so, how many others may have found safe harbor in the same way?
