Previously, the first instance court in France had recognized the extradition as permissible, but this decision was appealed. Now, the final word will be given by the judges of the appellate instance.
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Meanwhile, the echoes of this story have long since crossed the borders of Lithuania. The unexpected detention of a European Union citizen due to the North Cyprus real estate crisis is attracting increasing international attention – this case is being analyzed by television and news portals in Greece, France, and Ukraine, raising questions about whether European Union citizens can become hostages of the decades-long Cyprus conflict and complex property disputes.
In an exclusive interview with the host of the TV show “Life is Beautiful,” Edvard Žičkus, 43-year-old international real estate consultant R. Žilevičė spoke openly for the first time about her detention in France, the night in the detention center, fear for her children, public condemnation, and how she lives today waiting for the fateful court decision.
“If I made a mistake – I will answer for it. But I do not agree with the lynch court, and in the Republic of Cyprus, I have already been sentenced without a trial,” said the Lithuanian woman in the show broadcast on the YouTube platform.
Currently forced to be in France with two minor sons, Rasa does not hide that the most painful experience was not her own detention, but the uncertainty about her children.
“On one hand, that was the scariest part, that I came not alone, but with my son… It was a very unpleasant night,” admitted the woman, who is represented abroad by a very strong team of French lawyers.
According to her, the hardest thing to remember so far is not the detention center itself, but the feeling of helplessness not knowing what will happen to the children.
Rasa says she immediately contacted the Lithuanian embassy in Paris after the detention but did not receive the consular assistance she expected.
“I also contacted the Lithuanian embassy. The woman was very kind but said: sorry, we cannot help with anything… It was a huge amount that really scared me,” she recalls.
After the story was shown on the TV show “Life is Beautiful” and Lithuanian media attention to this story, Rasa Žilevičė finally received an official response from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It confirmed receiving her requests for urgent diplomatic and consular assistance but noted that it has no legal authority to interfere in French court processes or evaluate their decisions. However, it also indicated that in certain cases, the Lithuanian embassy may consider the possibility of participating in public court hearings as an observer if there is reason to believe that the rights of the Lithuanian citizen may be violated.
The greatest pain for Rasa today is not only the legal battle but also how her story was presented in some media outlets. “They created the image of a criminal out of me. They turned me into a 53-year-old woman with a daughter… I don’t want this to negatively affect my children, after all, they are watching everything,” says the woman raising two minor sons alone.
Rasa insists she never intended to harm anyone and believes her story will be evaluated based on facts, not prejudices. “The inner strength is that I never wanted to do anything wrong. Everything I do, I do from a pure heart,” she confided.
Despite all the experiences, the woman says she has not lost connection with the country where she spent a large part of her life. “I see my future in Cyprus,” admits the Lithuanian, who lived for several years in the southern part of the island and only moved to the north when the pandemic crisis hit.
While the Aix-en-Provence appellate court prepares to make a decision that will determine not only the future of Rasa Žilevičė but also her family, she says she still believes that her story will be evaluated not by emotions or public condemnation but by facts and justice. Especially since the same court recently made a decision in a similar case not to extradite a foreign citizen to the Republic of Cyprus.
The full report of the TV show “Life is Beautiful” about the North Cyprus real estate crisis, Rasa Žilevičė’s drama, and the exclusive interview from France can be seen here: Life is Beautiful | Episode 10 | EXCLUSIVE!
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