Metsola: European Parliament to take steps to protect its reputation

The European Parliament is an injured party in corruption cases, and its leadership will always stand up for the integrity of the institution, President Roberta Metsola told a press conference on Thursday, Report informs.

In recent months, the parliament has received several requests from law enforcement agencies for immunity waivers, which are necessary for the investigation.

The European Parliament will take measures to ensure that the names of members of parliament do not become public until there is confirmed evidence of their involvement in any violations, Metsola said, noting that there have already been cases of unjustified damage to the reputation of individual members of parliament.

After several high-profile probes that MEPs say have damaged the standing of the bloc’s institutions, Parliament President Roberta Metsola has sparked a revamp of the rules so that Belgium and other national authorities must pass a higher bar when requesting immunity waivers. They will have to provide more information ― notably the allegations they are facing ― before the Parliament can take up an immunity-waiver request for consideration.

“We will act where there is conjecture,” Metsola told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. “We will stand up for MEPs and the dignity of the institution. I will not accept the targeting and tarnishing of MEPs without a solid basis.”