(ANSA) – ROME, SEP 23 – The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) on Tuesday voted to reject a petition from Hungary to strip Italian MEP Ilaria Salis of her parliamentary immunity.
Salis was released from house arrest in Hungary, where she was on trial for allegedly involvement in an assault on far-right demonstrators in February 2023, after being elected as a member of the European Parliament for the Italian Green and Left Alliance (AVS) in June 2024.
Although the committee rejected Budapest’s request, the final word will go to the floor of the European Parliament early in October.
“The JURI Committee today decided to defend my immunity and the independence of Parliament, and to reject the Hungarian regime’s request for its waiver,” Salis said.
“This is an important, positive signal.
“I have full confidence that Parliament will confirm this decision in the October plenary session, reaffirming the centrality of the rule of law and democratic guarantees”.
The committee decided to reject stripping Salis of her immunity with 13 votes against and 12 in favour, with the votes of two members of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) proving decisive, sources said.
The allegedly inhumane detention conditions Salis was subjected to during a 16-month spell in a Hungarian jail provoked protests from Italy.
During her trial she was also led into court on a chain with her ankles and wrists cuffed, a procedure Hungary says is standard, but which caused widespread shock and indignation here.
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing League party, criticised JURI’s decision.
“Those who do wrong, don’t pay,” Salvini said via X.
“Shameful, shameful, shameful. Position saved, dignity lost”.
(ANSA).
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Salis was released from house arrest in Hungary, where she was on trial for allegedly involvement in an assault on far-right demonstrators in February 2023, after being elected as a member of the European Parliament for the Italian Green and Left Alliance (AVS) in June 2024.
Although the committee rejected Budapest’s request, the final word will go to the floor of the European Parliament early in October.
“The JURI Committee today decided to defend my immunity and the independence of Parliament, and to reject the Hungarian regime’s request for its waiver,” Salis said.
“This is an important, positive signal.
“I have full confidence that Parliament will confirm this decision in the October plenary session, reaffirming the centrality of the rule of law and democratic guarantees”.
The committee decided to reject stripping Salis of her immunity with 13 votes against and 12 in favour, with the votes of two members of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) proving decisive, sources said.
The allegedly inhumane detention conditions Salis was subjected to during a 16-month spell in a Hungarian jail provoked protests from Italy.
During her trial she was also led into court on a chain with her ankles and wrists cuffed, a procedure Hungary says is standard, but which caused widespread shock and indignation here.
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing League party, criticised JURI’s decision.
“Those who do wrong, don’t pay,” Salvini said via X.
“Shameful, shameful, shameful. Position saved, dignity lost”.
(ANSA).
Read article…
