The MEP of the Green Left alliance, Ilaria Salis, was in the European Parliament in Brussels for the first time, announcing to journalists the objectives of her mandate, after having been jailed in Hungary and facing charges for squatting.
In front of the microphones and cameras, Salis appeared visibly excited. His first press conference as MEP was organized together with the national secretary of the Italian left, Nicola Fratoianni, and with MEP Mimmo Lucano. The other four MEPs elected on the list, however, joined the Green group/Free Alliance for Europe.
On the side of immigrants and prisoners
“I intend to commit to “Give a voice to those who live social issues firsthand”, are the MEP’s first words. “I will commit myself to the detainees, in favor of the immigration issuewhich is a historical responsibility that must be taken seriously, in favor of the condition of young people: a transversal area that goes from precariousness to education“said Salis.
Salis does not prejudge the vote of approval of the president of the European Commissionwhich could occur already in the first plenary session of the European Parliamentin mid-July.
“We are still evaluating that issuetrying to find all the information and then have a well-founded opinion,” he said about the possible confirmation of Ursula von der Leyen.
The risk of waiver of immunity
Salis also responded to questions about his court case, which is not yet over: after passing more than a year in prison in Hungary accused of attacking far-right militants in Budapest, currently he is free thanks to his immunity parliamentarian, but still faces up to eleven years in prison. The Hungarian authorities could request a lifting of immunitywhich would have to be approved by the European Parliament.
“I hope and pray that Europe, the European Parliament, will rise in defense of fundamental rightsin defense of the presumption of innocence, the principle of proportionality and respect for the rule of law.” The MEP argues that does not want to escape criminal proceedingsbut to receive “fair treatment before the law, in accordance with the principle of proportionality.”
Accused of squatting a home in Milan
The day of your arrival at Brusselsthe Regional Council of Lombardy approved a motion on the “the social housing squatting“, with a councilor from Brothers of Italy as the first signatory.
The so-called ‘Salis motion’ is a consequence of a complaint by Aler after the accusations of squatting in a building in Milan collected by some Italian media. The ‘Corriere della Sera’ reports “an illegal entry, carried out by breaking the door” of an accommodation in the Navigli area in 2008.
According to the newspaper ‘Il Giornale’, the Lombard Housing Agency, responsible for the management of social housing in the city, has denounced the MEP for a debt of 90,000 euros contracted over the years by the accommodation squattingand will take legal action.
Ilaria Salis rejected the personal accusations: “These attacks are not based on anything. We are talking about a access made when I was 23 years oldnow I’m 40.”
But on the question of occupation of real estateclaims a firm position: “The movements fighting for housing try to solve problems that institutions do not solve in other ways.”
“What is fair does not always correspond to what is legal,” he added. Parliamentarians, says Salis, “can also change laws that are not correct.” That’s what he promises to do on his first day in office. European Parliament.
