As the daily Magyar Nemzet highlighted earlier, Hungary's chief prosecutor has requested the suspension of Peter Magyar’s parliamentary immunity from the European Parliament President after the politician stole a man’s phone at the Otkert nightclub, in downtown Budapest. Reacting to the news, MEP Erno Schaller-Baross told our paper's Brussels correspondent:
It appears as though Peter Magyar’s courage has vanished, and he is trying to escape accountability by hiding behind the immunity granted to MEPs in Brussels,
– Mr. Schaller-Baross said, adding that
If memory serves, this is not what he promised his voters. During the spring election campaign, he was adamant that parliamentary immunity was unnecessary. In fact, he vowed to abolish it, claiming his Tisza Party would eliminate it immediately. He also stated that he was personally ready to face any legal proceedings.
During the spring campaign, Peter Magyar pushed for an end to political immunity, but this isn’t the first time the Tisza Party chief has backtracked on his earlier positions when it suits his agenda. It seems Mr. Magyar is turning this into a pattern.
We can state that the request by the prosecutor's office to suspend Peter Magyar's immunity is entirely a consequence of his actions. The prosecutor simply complied with the rules. Mr. Magyar's action could be classified as theft, a public offense that must be prosecuted. Following the approval of the EP President, the legal committee of the European Parliament will be responsible for investigating the case,
– MEP Schaller-Baross stressed.
In view of some earlier cases, the politician also highlighted that the European Parliament’s practice and approach to immunity cases varied greatly. A notable example is the case of Greek politician Eva Kaili, a former vice president of the European Parliament, who was a key figure in the Brussels corruption scandal. She was charged with corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. It took a long time to strip her of her immunity. Another shocking case is that of Italian politician Ilaria Salis, who was elected as an MEP while in prison.
Do we still remember the handbags full of cash, the father-in-law, dad, friends and socialists subdued in the center of Brussels? Or the case of Ilaria Salis, an ardent communist and anti-fascist who roamed the streets of Budapest, allegedly assaulting innocent people indiscriminately?
– Mr. Schaller-Baross posed this rhetorical question, then emphasized that "these cases demonstrate how parliamentary immunity not only offers protection but also presents serious ethical challenges to EU institutions and decision-makers."
The lifting of socialist Eva Kaili’s immunity was an important step toward accountability that sends a message to Peter Magyar as well: no one is above the law, especially not those who are supposed to serve the public interest. "We would like to remind Peter Magyar of this: after such an act, if he truly committed this crime, he has no place in public life,"
– the politician asserted.
