European Parliament strips Matej Tonin of immunity

The European Parliament has voted to strip Slovenian MEP Matej Tonin (EPP/NSi) of his parliamentary immunity. The decision followed a narrow vote in Strasbourg, where 306 members voted against maintaining his immunity, while 304 voted to preserve it.

The request for the removal of immunity was submitted by the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) in connection with the Knovs affair. This case involves allegations of abuse of official position or rights by four current and former members of the parliamentary commission for the supervision of intelligence and security services (Knovs). The indictment stems from an unannounced inspection in November 2023, during which members checked whether certain actors involved in the Dars affair were being wiretapped.

Prior to the plenary vote, the Committee on Legal Affairs had recommended that Tonin retain his immunity, following a July vote where 13 members were against removal, 10 were in favor, and one abstained. The final decision will now be communicated to the relevant Slovenian authorities.