The prosecutor’s office confirmed: Tonin has invoked parliamentary immunity

Updates in Knovs Case: Proceedings Continue for Three, One Suspended Pending European Parliament Decision

Following reports on Friday, developments have continued in the Knovs case involving MEPs Jernej Vrtovec, Janez Žakelj, and Jožef Horvat. The individuals received a court notification indicating the case would proceed to pre-trial proceedings. Separately, Tonin received a communication on Monday detailing the rejection of an indictment due to a lack of invoked immunity.

The Specialized State Prosecutor confirmed to reporters that Vrtovec, Žakelj, and Horvat had not invoked parliamentary immunity. Consequently, there are no immediate procedural obstacles to initiating criminal proceedings against them. The prosecutor explained that for one of the accused, the prosecution initially proposed suspending criminal proceedings until the European Parliament makes a decision regarding the withdrawal or granting of parliamentary immunity.

This approach was taken due to the unpredictable timeline for such a decision. Crucially, the prosecution’s proposal was predicated on the fact that no individual had invoked immunity. The case now moves forward with the understanding that the status of parliamentary immunity remains a key factor in the investigation.

Topics: #immunity #invoked #parliamentary