European Parliament strips 'Alvise' of immunity for the second time so Supreme Court can try him for illegal party financing
The European Parliament lifted on Tuesday, by near-unanimous vote, the immunity of MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez so that the Supreme Court can try him for alleged illegal financing of his party.
Second immunity removal for 'Alvise' in less than a month
The European Parliament agreed on Tuesday to strip for the second time in a month the parliamentary immunity of MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez, leader of Se Acabó La Fiesta (SALF). According to ABC, the show of hands vote held in the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg resulted in an almost unanimous majority in favour of the request submitted by the Supreme Court.
The high court requested that parliamentary protection be withdrawn so it could investigate and prosecute Pérez for alleged offences of illegal party financing, misappropriation of funds, money laundering, falsification of documents, fraud and electoral offences.
A 100,000 euro payment at the centre of the case
The case that prompted this second request centres on a payment of 100,000 euros that businessman Álvaro Romillo, known as 'Cryptospain', made to SALF ahead of the 2024 European elections. The Supreme Court is investigating whether that payment constituted irregular party financing.
The European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee had put the proposal to the plenary on 5 May. The chamber had already taken a first step on 28 April, when a majority of MEPs authorised the Supreme Court to prosecute 'Alvise' for alleged harassment on social media of Susana Gisbert, the prosecutor delegated for hate crimes and discrimination offences in Valencia.
Five cases open before the Supreme Court
In addition to the proceedings for alleged irregular financing of SALF and alleged harassment of Gisbert, the Supreme Court is maintaining three other cases against the MEP.
One of them concerns the dissemination of a PCR test allegedly forged and attributed to former Health Minister and current president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa. Another case is investigating alleged harassment of two MEPs who stood with SALF in the 2024 European elections and subsequently broke with the party.
The fifth case, opened on 19 March, stems from a complaint filed by the mayor of Algeciras and senator of the Mixed Group, José Ignacio Landaluce, for an alleged offence of threats.
Source: ABC