The European Parliament adopted by 620 votes to 71, with 4 abstentions, a decision on the request for defence of the privileges and immunities of Mario Borghezio.

As a reminder, Mario Borghezio, Member of the European Parliament until 2 July 2019, requested the defence of his parliamentary immunity in the context of criminal proceedings before the Public Prosecutor's Office of Imperia. Mario Borghezio allegedly had an altercation with an employee of a railway company who refused to allow him to travel on a train because he did not have a valid ticket.

In his hearing before the Legal Affairs Committee, Mario Borghezio did not state anything that would lead to the conclusion that the altercation in question concerned the expression of a political opinion by the former Member. Accordingly, Members considered that the alleged offence does not concern an opinion expressed or a vote cast by him in the performance of his duties as a Member of the European Parliament within the meaning of Article 8 of Protocol No 7 on the privileges and immunities of the European Union.

Members also pointed out that Mario Borghezio had been a Member of the European Parliament until 2 July 2019 and that the loss of the status of Member of the European Parliament was associated with the loss of the related immunity attaching, the duration of which was, under the terms of Article 9 of Protocol No 7 on the privileges and immunities of the European Union, limited to that mandate.

Parliament therefore decided not to defend the privileges and immunities of Mario Borghezio.

T9-0017/2022

A9-0015/2022

A9-0015/2022