The European Parliament decided to waive the immunity of Theodoros ZAGORAKIS (EPP, EL).
Parliament recalled that the Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Supreme Court of Greece had requested the waiver of immunity of Theodoros Zagorakis, in relation to a workplace accident suffered on 13 May 2010 by an employee of the PAOK football club at the club's stadium in Thessaloniki, where Mr Zagorakis was chairman.
It recalled that Article 9 of Protocol No 7 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union stated that Members of the European Parliament shall enjoy, in the territory of their own state, the immunities accorded to members of the Parliament of that state.
However, the alleged offence clearly had nothing to do with the office of Member of the European Parliament held by Theodoros Zagorakis, but was instead linked to his position as chair of the PAOK football club. There was no reason to suspect that the intention underlying the criminal proceedings was to damage a Member’s political activity (fumus persecutionis), given that the prosecution was initiated a number of years before the Member took office.
Accordingly, Parliament decided to waive the immunity of Mr. Zagorakis.