Parliament voted on Tuesday to uphold the parliamentary immunity of German MEP Elmar Brok, arguing that the criminal charges brought against him because of alleged tax evasion "constitute a clear case of fumus persecutionis". It also "appears that the proceedings were brought with the sole aim of damaging the reputation" of Mr Brok.
MEPs note that in the case of an ordinary citizen, the sum at stake and the circumstances of the case would only have given rise to administrative proceedings.
The resolution, drafted by Francesco Speroni (EFD, IT), was adopted by a show of hands.
In 2010 the German authorities requested the waiver of Mr Brok's immunity, saying that he had failed to declare in his tax return for 2005 a fee of €5000 for a speech given in that year.
Procedure: Immunity
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