The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has decided to uphold the immunity of Italian MEP Ilaria Salis, who is facing accusations of attempted murder in Hungary related to an ANTIFA assault in Budapest.
Salis had previously endured 15 months of house arrest in Hungary following an incident in 2023 where violent acts were allegedly directed against “neo-Nazis” commemorating Hungarian soldiers from World War II. The purported hammer attacks by several ANTIFA extremists resulted in significant injuries to some victims.
Despite these serious allegations, Salis was released from custody last year following her election to the European Parliament.
However, Budapest has moved to strip her of immunity. According to Corriere Della Sera, the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee rejected this request during a secret ballot on Tuesday.
It seems that key votes, including those possibly from the European People’s Party Chairman Ursula von der Leyen, played a crucial role in this decision.
In light of the Committee’s decision, Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs accused the European Parliament of “justifying far-left terrorism.”
“Ilaria Salis and her associates came to Hungary with the intention of physically attacking individuals based on their political views. This isn’t just politics; it’s terrorism,” Kovacs stated.
“Our colleagues in Brussels are doing everything to avoid responsibility. By preserving her immunity, they are not only exonerating criminals but are, in fact, protecting anti-fascist terrorists. We will not forget this.”
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Syjarto also remarked that the Legal Affairs Committee “chose to shield antifa activist Ilaria Salis from justice for her 2023 assaults on innocent people in Budapest.”
“The message is clear: one can evade accountability amidst extremist political ideologies. It’s a disgrace for Europe,” Syjarto asserted.
As for Salis, who identifies as a self-proclaimed “anti-fascist,” she described the vote as “a significant and positive signal,” expressing confidence that Congress would uphold this decision in October, thereby affirming the importance of the rule of law and democratic principles.
By invoking her parliamentary immunity, Salis claimed she was not evading justice but instead was protecting herself from political retribution by Orban’s government, and she encouraged Italian prosecutors to pursue legal action regarding the alleged attacks.
This vote occurred one day after former U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order labeling ANTIFA as a domestic terrorist organization, following the purported assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that his government would follow suit, classifying ANTIFA as a terrorist organization, referencing Salis and the alleged hammer attacks in Budapest.
