After it Exchange of person which erroneously involved the Hon. Giusi Princi – for which the Belgian Prosecutor had initially asked for the revocation of parliamentary immunity, only to withdraw the request in less than 24 hours – iThe European Parliament has decided to review the rules on the immunity of MEPs. To announce it, during a press conference, was the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
“I will not accept that the MEPs are targeted and damaged without a solid base,” said Metsola. “We have already seen it – he continued – in the case of an European Championship, the Hon. Princi, forced to undergo the public announcement of his name as part of this investigation, to see this announcement withdrawn a few hours later. This puts the MEPs in an extremely difficult position. And also puts the European Parliament in a difficult position. If the national authorities intend to ask for the revocation of immunity, this request must be punctually motivated before being accepted Parliament. Where there are credible accusations of offenses, we will be the first to ask for an action, as we have always done, in a coherent and constant way.
It is Calabria, therefore, through the affair of one of its MEP, to have encouraged a profound reflection that led to the choice to change the rules on parliamentary immunity. The case of the Calabrian Eurodeputtato assumed, in this sense, a symbolic value: Giusi Princi, the recipient of an unfounded accusation, has chosen to react with courage and determination, turning directly to the Belgian Prosecutor instead of waiting for the course of the parliamentary procedure, obtaining – in less than 24 hours – the full recognition of the error and the withdrawal of each charge.
“It is a reason for pride to learn that the absurd judicial case in which I was erroneously involved – says Giusi Princi – has encouraged Parliament to review the rules on the immunity of the MEP. I am raised by the idea that no deputy, in the future, can suffer what I have lived. At the Belgian prosecutor, instead of waiting for Parliament’s process.