Foreigner gets second European Arrest Warrant

A Czech man, who had undergone extradition proceedings last year, has been targeted by a fresh European Arrest Warrant.

Marek Drga, 40, was arrested and arraigned on Friday, declaring he was not voluntarily surrendering to the second warrant issued against him by the Czech authorities, demanding his removal back to his homeland to face charges of tax evasion, tax fraud and complicity in crime.

Lawyer George Camilleri, from the Office of the Attorney General, explained that Mr Drga had not consented to the first EAW served upon him in November 2017, but had been extradited under court order, duly prosecuted and sentenced.

The man had filed an appeal and had returned to Malta pending final judgment, the court was told. A second warrant had been issued whereby, in keeping with the rule of speciality, he was to be tried only for those offences mentioned in the warrant.

A request for bail was made by defence lawyer Roberto Montalto who claimed that the Czech authorities were “abusing the system.”

“Mr Drga was tried,” said the lawyer, and “all throughout proceedings, he was being coerced to renounce to his right under the rule of speciality and pressured to testify against third...