Request for the waiver of the immunity of Ioannis Lagos

The European Parliament adopted a decision not to waive the immunity of Ioannis Lagos (NI, GR).

As a reminder, the Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Athens Court of First Instance submitted a request for waiver of the parliamentary immunity of Ioannis Lagos in order to launch criminal proceedings against him on the grounds of a statement he posted on his party’s website in 2022 which allegedly constituted public incitement to violence or hatred against a group of people identified on the basis of national origin, religion or sexual orientation.

Parliament stated that a statement made by a Member outside the European Parliament may constitute an opinion expressed in the performance of their duties, within the meaning of Article 8 of the Protocol, where it contains a subjective assessment having a direct and obvious connection with the performance of that Member’s duties in the European Parliament. Whether or not this is the case must therefore be determined by the nature and content of the statement and not by the place where it was made.

Nowadays the political debate in which Members of the European Parliament participate, in the exercise of their mandate, increasingly takes place also outside Parliament’s premises, including on the internet.

Against this background, the statement published by Ioannis Lagos was clearly made in his capacity as a Member of the European Parliament and a direct and obvious connection between the statement under consideration and the parliamentary mandate of Ioannis Lagos can be deemed to exist.

Therefore, following the recommendation of its Legal Affairs Committee, the European Parliament has decided not to waive the immunity of Ioannis Lagos.