Hungary Seeks to Lift Immunity of Italian MEP Ilaria Salis
In a significant political development, Hungary has formally requested the European Parliament to lift the immunity of Ilaria Salis, an Italian Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Salis has faced imprisonment in Hungary under allegations of assaulting right-wing activists during a protest. This contentious issue was brought to light by Hungarian MEPs affiliated with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling party, Fidesz, in a recent plenary session held in Strasbourg.
Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, confirmed that Hungary’s request has been forwarded to the Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee for further examination. Salis was convicted on three counts of attempted assault related to her actions during a protest in Budapest in February 2023, a charge she vehemently denies. Following her conviction, she spent 15 months in a Budapest prison before being placed under house arrest. After her election to the European Parliament as a member of the Left Green Alliance in June, she was granted automatic release and parliamentary immunity.
The case has sparked a diplomatic incident between Hungary and Italy, particularly after Salis was photographed in January 2024 appearing in court with her hands and feet bound—a practice that Hungarian authorities maintain is standard procedure. Related
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In response to the situation, Italian ministers summoned Hungary’s ambassador to express their concerns regarding Salis’s treatment and the conditions within Hungarian prisons. Salis, who has persistently argued that her sentence is disproportionate, commented on Hungary’s request, stating, “The minimum conditions for a fair trial to take place in Hungary do not exist.” She further added, “I hope that Parliament will choose to defend the rule of law and human rights without succumbing to the arrogance of an ‘illiberal democracy’ that has openly declared me guilty before any verdict.”
‘You Are Not a Martyr’
Hungarian government spokesperson, Zoltan Kovacs, defended Budapest’s actions, asserting on social media platform X, “Let me make it clear once again: you were not arrested for your ‘political opinions’; you were arrested and tried for armed aggression against innocent Hungarian citizens.” He further criticized her by stating, “This whole charade is a joke; you are not a democrat and you are not a martyr. You are a common thug.”
Additional MEPs from the Fidesz party also voiced their disdain for Salis, labeling her a “disgrace” and a “coward” in various social media posts. Conversely, representatives from the Left Green Alliance, who nominated Salis for her candidacy in the European elections, expressed their unwavering solidarity with her. Demonstrators gathered in Rome on February 14, 2024, holding a banner that read in Italian, “Let’s free Ilaria Salis,” in front of the historic Pantheon monument.
Fratoianni and Bonelli, prominent members of the Left Green Alliance, stated, “We hope that the European Parliament will reject this request, knowing that the conditions for a fair and equitable trial do not exist in Hungary.”
The initiative to lift Salis’ immunity follows her vocal criticism of Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the European Union during a speech given in front of Orbán in early October. Salis remarked, “It is a bit of a paradox to have a presidency led by someone whose goal is to dismantle the EU in the name of nationalism.” Orbán retaliated against her remarks, accusing her of “beating up peaceful people in the streets of Budapest,” which garnered applause and jeers from the audience of the European Parliament.
As it stands, Hungary’s request is not expected to yield immediate consequences. The request must first be evaluated by the Parliament’s President, after which it will be sent to the Legal Affairs Committee and subsequently voted on by the full Assembly. This process is anticipated to span several months, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding Salis’s legal situation.