Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-30-Speech-1-038"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030630.6.1-038"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, I have taken the floor to speak on this report because, at last, Parliament is taking into consideration the specific nature of the request made by the national authorities when addressing the issue of immunity. In the case of Mr Cohn-Bendit, we have decided not to waive immunity for a very specific reason, although, ultimately, it might have been in Mr Cohn-Bendit’s interests for this trial to go ahead. For Parliament, on the other hand, the fact that the case has been raised many years after the alleged incident and that there could objectively be a suspicion or a suggestion that, behind this belated recognition by the German authorities of the possible guilt of Mr Cohn-Bendit, there might conceivably lie ‘
justifies the stance taken by our committee, which I and my fellow Radical Members support. I am saying this in anticipation of other cases too, Mr President, for although it is true that in some countries we have reduced the scope of immunity, confining it strictly to the political activities of each Member of Parliament, it is also true that the scope of political activities cannot be limited solely to what is said in the Chamber, at least where those political and legal systems which provide for extensive immunity for Members of Parliament are concerned.
Until we have the single Statute for Members of the European Parliament, until Mr Rothley’s line becomes law in our Union, I hope, from this point of view, that it will be precisely the examination of our texts which will prompt the Intergovernmental Conference to accept the idea that the Members’ Statute should have a prominent place in the forthcoming European Constitution and specifically recommend that specific immunity and specific privileges be included in the Statute for Members of the European Parliament.
There is no doubt that the evidence in a case which indicates the political nature of an act can fall down, whether in this or in future cases. For example, as you know, you will soon be called upon to deal with the case of Mr Dupuis, who handed out doses of hashish as a way of condemning Italian legislation on drugs, which will lead to the opening of a case.
In conclusion, Mr President, I support the line taken by Mr MacCormick, and I believe that, in acting in this way, Parliament will be setting a precedent for subsequent cases."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples