Brussels, 11/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 May, the European Parliament (EP) decided to lift the immunity of French National Front (FN) MEP Bruno Gollnisch so that a complaint of incitement to racial hatred, lodged by the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism, can be investigated. MEPs decided that the affair (publication of a racist press release issued by the FN group in the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council, of which Gollnisch was the president) was not connected with his activities as an MEP but rather with his role as a Rhône-Alpes regional councillor.
The EP, however, upheld the parliamentary immunity of Italian MEP Luigi de Magistris (ALDE), who is being sued for libel. In this case, MEPs decided that de Magistris was acting in performance of his duties as an MEP. A complaint against de Magistris was lodged at the Benevento court by another Italian MEP, Clemente Mastella (EPP) whose conduct as Justice Minister in 2009 had been questioned by de Magistris in an article which appeared in an Italian daily. De Magistris, who is currently campaigning to be elected Mayor of Naples, has consistently called for the courts to be able to do their work, even when it comes to politicians. (H.B./L.G./transl.rt)