The European Parliament has decided to lift the parliamentary immunity of Maciej Wąsik, a Polish MEP elected in June 2024. This decision follows a request from Polish judicial authorities regarding alleged offences committed before his election to the European Parliament. The procedure allows for the continuation of criminal proceedings in Poland.
The request for lifting immunity comes from the Polish Prosecutor General and concerns events dating back to December 2023. The objective is to enable Polish judicial authorities to continue criminal proceedings for non-compliance with a previous court ruling. The legal framework is based on the protocol on privileges and immunities of the EU and the Polish Constitution.
The decision takes effect immediately after its adoption on 18 February 2025. The President of the European Parliament is tasked with notifying the Polish judicial authorities and the concerned MEP. Monitoring of procedure compliance falls to Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee.
This decision allows the continuation of judicial proceedings in Poland. It illustrates the principle that parliamentary immunity protects the exercise of parliamentary duties, not personal acts. Citizens can observe the functioning of control mechanisms between European and national institutions.