Committee votes to waiver immunity of MEP Alexis Georgoulis

The European Parliament's legal affairs committee unanimously approved on Tuesday a recommendation to waiver of the immunity of MEP Alexis Georgoulis, who has been accused of rape and sexual abuse.

The relevant recommendation was approved with 18 votes at a closed meeting and the request was referred to the plenary, which will vote on it on Thursday. Georgoulis had requested the acceleration of the procedure. 

His lawyers have yet to receive the case file because this can only be done after his immunity is lifted. The MEP resigned from SYRIZA on April 18 after European parliamentary authorities received a request to lift his immunity, as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse three years ago. He denies the allegations and attributes political motives behind them.