Request for the waiver of the immunity of Manolis Kefalogiannis

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Jean-Marie CAVADA (ALDE, FR) on the request for waiver of the immunity of Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL).

The request for waiver of Manolis Kefalogiannis' immunity was transmitted on 31 May 2017 by the Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of the Hellenic Republic in order to initiate criminal proceedings against him for two alleged offences.

Manolis Kefalogiannis is accused of having attempted to commit fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Union, resulting in a loss of more than EUR 73 000, for having attempted to illegally misappropriate part of his assistant's salary for an amount of EUR 4 240 per month between July 2014 and the end of 2016.

On the basis of the information and explanations provided in this case, including the replies given by the Deputy Public Prosecutor of the Hellenic Republic during the exchange of views conducted with him, and given the circumstances in which the case against Manolis Kefalogiannis was dealt with by the authorities involved, the uncertainties as to the elements on which the request for waiver of immunity is based and the serious doubts surrounding the proceedings, it therefore appeared that this is a case in which fumus persecutionis can be assumed to be present.

The committee therefore recommended that the European Parliament should decide not to waive the immunity of Manolis Kefalogiannis.