08/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Elmar Brok's immunity is safeguarded. On Tuesday 8 March, the EP took a stance against lifting the parliamentary immunity of German MEP Elmar Brok (EPP), arguing that the criminal charges brought against him because of alleged tax evasion “constitute a clear case of fumus persecutionis”. MEPs also say: “It appears that the proceedings were brought with the sole aim of damaging the reputation” of Elmar Brok. They noted that, in the case of ordinary citizens, the sum at stake and the circumstances of the case would only have given rise to administrative proceedings. In 2010, the German authorities requested the waiver of Elmar Brok's immunity, saying he had failed to declare in his tax return for 2005 a fee of €5,000 for a speech given in that year. (H.B./transl.jl)