Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash said in the beginning of the process that the request for his extradition to the US is politically motivated.

"I think there is a very clear political motivation," Firtash said, answering the judge's question about why He disagreed with the extradition to the United States.

in the beginning, the Judge gave an overview of the case. He told how Firtash was placed behind bars in Vienna in March 2014 in the U.S. in connection with the suspicion that Firtash together with other entrepreneurs paid in total, 18, 5 million dollars an unnamed Indian officials to get the license for development of titanium deposits. The United States relied on the testimony of 2 without return addresses of witnesses. Austrian court requested that these witnesses himself testified in court, but the government of America did not want to disclose their identity.

After claims of political motivation in the case of the extradition of Firtash asked the judge to first was made by his lawyers. The judge agreed.

in his speech, the lawyer Firtash said that the extradition case of an entrepreneur is " a hallmark of the Austrian justice ", And Firtash is " politically and economically important person ".

According to the lawyer, He became a factor in world politics and has come to the attention of the U.S. " in 2004, when He formed a joint venture with Gazprom on natural gas supplies. And in 2006 He became an important figure in the world trade of titanium ", because Ukraine has 20% of world reserves of raw materials for production of titanium. In 2007, He created a joint venture with aircraft Corporation " Boeing ", depending on the supply of titanium for the production of aircraft.

Titanium project Firtash in India threatened US interests. The danger Firtash was the fact that He can become the third largest producer of titanium in the world ", - said the lawyer of the businessman.

in addition, politically Firtash supported in the presidential election year 2009-10 Viktor Yanukovych, And not "friendly USA Yulia Tymoshenko, And 2014 election of Petro Poroshenko for the post of head of state and Viktor Klitschko for the position of head of Kyiv against desirable team USA (Yulia) Tymoshenko and (Arseniy) Yatsenyuk," said the lawyer. Firtash is also "integration figure" for Ukraine and supports smooth relations with Russia.

"The U.S. wanted to take Firtash and apply it in their own interests. Titanium case was only a pretext for the arrest of Firtash, " the lawyer said tycoon.

Decision on extradition of Firtash from Austria to the US is expected on Thursday.

sections: Politics