The European Parliament today stripped Czech MEP Jana Nagyova (ANO), from the Patriots for Europe group, of immunity from prosecution, as she is still a defendant in the Czech Republic in the Capi hnizdo (Stork Nest) subsidy-fraud case.
The MEPs voted in favour of the move at a plenary session in Strasbourg.
The Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) recommended in mid-March that Nagyova be stripped of her immunity. In response, Nagyova said she expected such a decision, and added that she was confident the court would rule in her favour for a third time and clear her name.
If an MEP is stripped of their immunity, it is not a “guilty” verdict, but merely allows national judicial authorities to proceed with an investigation or legal proceedings.
Andrej Babis, leader of the opposition ANO, and Nagyova are facing charges in the Capi hnizdo case. Last February, the Municipal Court acquitted them for the second time, but the ruling was not final. The case is now being heard by the Court of Appeal, but the proceedings are suspended because Nagyova was granted immunity by winning a seat in the European Parliament elections. The High Court in Prague then asked the European Parliament to strip her of immunity.
The public prosecutor in the Capi hnizdo case says that Babis arranged for the removal of the Capi hnizdo farm from Agrofert and the sale of shares to his children and partner at the turn of 2007 and 2008. According to investigators, he did this so that the company would appear to meet the conditions to receive a CZK 50 million subsidy for small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the prosecution, Nagyova successfully applied for the subsidy. Both defendants have denied guilt since the beginning.
The European Parliament also stripped Petr Bystron, a German MEP of Czech origin, of his immunity today. This politician from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is accused by German prosecutors of promoting unconstitutional and terrorist movements.
The Munich public prosecutor’s office requested that Bystron be stripped of his immunity in connection with the publication of a photo montage of several politicians, including former German chancellor Angela Merkel, current Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former European Parliament president Martin Schulz. According to prosecutors, the montage is meant to give the impression that they are making Nazi salutes. It also features the inscription “Bye, bye Melnyk”, referring to Andriy Melnyk’s departure as Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin in October 2022.
According to the German media, Bystron defended himself in the EP by saying that his investigation was politically motivated.
