Foreign Minister of Austria Alexander Schallenberg has said that extradition of Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash cannot be started as long as his lawyers' have filed an appeal against a relevant decision.

"The Austrian side is not delaying the issue of Firtash. The Justice Ministry approved an instruction on the extradition of Firtash, however his lawyers are delaying this process and insisting on the revision of the case," he said at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Vadym Prystaiko in Kyiv on Thursday.

Schallenberg added that the extradition procedure can be launched only after a final court ruling.

As reported, Group DF Chairman was arrested in Austria on March 12, 2014, at the request of the U.S. authorities, issued in 2013. He was accused of using permission to extract titanium raw materials in India with the help of bribes totaling $18.5 million for the subsequent sale of finished products in the United States. Firtash denied the charges and called them politically motivated, aimed at limiting his influence in Ukraine.

In late June, the Supreme Court of Austria confirmed lawfulness of the ruling on the extradition of Firtash issued by the Higher Regional Court of Vienna in February 2017.