Ilaria Salis appeals 300,000 euro ruling involving former staff

European Parliament member Ilaria Salis is contesting a first-instance ruling that ordered her to pay approximately 300,000 euros to two former parliamentary collaborators, Valentina Dadda and François Gelmetti. The original judgment awarded 150,000 euros to each individual for the termination of their employment without just cause.

Salis has raised several defenses during the appeal process. She claims that working with the two individuals became impossible because they attempted to use public resources for personal interests and used her mandate for their own purposes. She has also denied allegations of mobbing.

A central component of the legal challenge involves the validity of the initial notifications. Salis’s defense argues that she was unaware of the proceedings and was unable to exercise her right to defense because the legal notices failed to reach her. The Court of Appeal of Milan is expected to decide whether to annul the previous sentence and restart the case at the first instance or proceed with an examination of the merits.