Following the election to Parliament European Of Ilaria Saliselected with the Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra, theHungary is considering whether to submit a request for the lifting of parliamentary immunity, as stated in a press conference by the head of the Hungarian government’s cabinet, Gergely Gulyás.
Ilaria Salis elected to the European Parliament
After the European elections which took place last weekend, Ilaria Salis has become a member of the European Parliament after being voted on the lists of the Green Alliance and the Left of the North-West, where it was the leader, and in the Islands, collecting over 176 thousand preferences.
“I can’t believe it, I can’t find the words to express my happiness. I will never be able to thank enough all those who supported me with their votes” she said following the election Ilaria Salis who, despite currently being held under house arrest in Hungary, will have the right to parliamentary immunity, which would allow her to return to Italy.
The newly elected to the European Parliament, Ilaria Salis, in the courtroom for the third hearing of the trial against her in Hungary
An eventuality that the Hungarian government, which it mediates, does not like the chief of staff, Gergely Gulyáshas made it known that he is considering the possibility of requesting the revocation of immunity for the Milanese activist.
The legal problem
He intervened in the case Levente Szikra, Hungarian lawyer and senior analyst at the Budapest Center for Fundamental Rights, a body that promotes Hungary’s “national identity and sovereignty, as well as Christian social traditions.”
According to Szikra, “if the election result becomes legally binding, Salis will have the right to assume the mandate. This gives her the right to immunitybut it is not entirely clear whether this right also applies to criminal proceedings that began long before the right to immunity arose.”
As the lawyer clarifies, in fact, “according to Hungarian rules, immunity does not apply in these casesbecause EU regulations do not regulate such cases […] It would be unfair if she were also protected for a crime preceding her parliamentary activity, or for an ongoing criminal proceeding.”
Hungary’s request
“However – the lawyer then concluded – apparently this discrepancy does not worry the European Parliament”. Statements then echoed by Gergely Gulyás, who during a press conference clarified that “the competent Hungarian authority should ask the European Parliament to lift immunity”.
“Sending a criminal to the European Parliament is not good for either the European Parliament or the voters,” said Gulyás, who then added that the Parliament should vote to lift immunity “if it does not consider physical abuse acceptable and does not want leave this type of serious crime unpunished”.
In any case, Gulyás wanted to clarify that “the criminal proceedings could continue during the MEP’s mandate. Otherwise the proceedings would continue at the end of the mandate.” However, Roberto Salis, Ilaria’s father, responded to these words.
“I would be surprised otherwise – said the father of the new MEP – if they didn’t say it it would be an admission that the charges were structured speciously in what is a political process.”
Photo source: ANSA
