The Committee on Legal Affairs unanimously adopted the report by Tadeusz ZWIEFKA (EPP, PL) on the request for waiver of the immunity of Georgios Toussas (GUE/NGL, EL).
The request for waiver of the immunity of Georgios Toussas came from the Piraeus Court of First Instance in order to enable it to conduct the criminal proceedings started as a result of an alleged breach of trust resulting in damages exceeding EUR 147 000.
Mr Toussas, together with eight other persons, is charged of knowingly defrauding for the benefit of another party, by a sum in excess of EUR 147 000, the property of the Merchant Seamen's Fund (NAT), a legal entity under public law, the management of which he was entrusted with,. The alleged fraud was committed by Mr Toussas acting as a member of NAT's Board and having, as such, a status of employee in the meaning of Greek criminal law.
In the course of his hearing by the Committee on Legal Affairs on 10 October 2011, Georgios Toussas raised the point that the criminal proceedings against him possibly constitute a political persecution directed at him. However the Committee has not found grounds for fumus persecutionis in this case.
As a result, the committee recommends that the European Parliament waives the parliamentary immunity of Georgios Toussas.