Request for the waiver of the immunity of Petr Bystron

The European Parliament decided to waive the immunity of Petr Bystron.

The Munich Public Prosecutor requested the waiver of the immunity of Petr Bystron, Member of the European Parliament, in connection with the charges brought against him, concerning alleged offences of at least six counts of passive corruption, money laundering and fraud, and at least five counts of tax evasion.

The request stated that in 2020, Petr Bystron may have received cash payments in person or received cryptocurrency transfers from the operator of the pro-Russian website ‘Voice of Europe’ in return for his commitment to speak and vote, as a member of the national parliament, in the interests of the Russian Government. Suspicious bank transactions, unjustified cash deposits, and a dubious employment contract with his lawyer are said to have caused financial damage to Germany amounting to EUR 97 400. These events allegedly took place before his election to the European Parliament in 2024.

In several deliberations of the national parliament, of which Petr Bystron was a member at the time of the alleged events, on issues related to Russia, he is said to have, since 2022, voted in the direction clearly most favourable to the interests of the Russian government.

Parliament considered that the alleged offences do not concern an opinion expressed or a vote cast in the exercise of the duties of a Member of the European Parliament. Furthermore, it has found no evidence to suggest that the legal proceedings in question were initiated with the intention of harming the political activity of a Member of the European Parliament and, therefore, of the European Parliament.