Ilaria Salis, the Antifa activist who, along with her comrades, attacked and seriously injured innocent people in Budapest in 2023 and later became a MEP, is now fiercely fighting to protect her parliamentary immunity, the Italian newspaper Il Giornale writes. The newspaper reports that Salis is pointing to the case of Rexhino ‘Gino’ Abazaj, an Albanian resident in Italy, and her close associate facing the same charges, as an example to ensure that the European Parliament (EP) does not inadvertently lift her immunity, which would compel her to answer for her crimes.
According to Il Giornale, Salis ‘almost begs’ France not to extradite Gino in a recent interview with Blast France. While Paris has yet to make a decision on the matter, Abazaj remains in custody.
‘Salis herself, who was voted for by those claiming to oppose any form of privilege (specifically the far-left – ed), is now clinging desperately to her seat in Brussels,’ Il Giornale writes. ‘In addition to guaranteeing her a substantial monthly salary far exceeding her previous earnings as a teacher, the position allows her to avoid standing trial in Hungary.’
Salis faces charges of assault causing life-threatening bodily harm committed as part of a criminal organization during an incident in Budapest last February. Along with her comrades, she travelled to Hungary intending to target neo-Nazis and neo-Nazi sympathizers. According to their own testimony, they selected targets based solely on appearance. The case sparked a diplomatic row between Hungary and Italy, with Italian politicians accusing Hungary of violating Salis’ human rights by keeping her in custody.
‘In addition to guaranteeing her a substantial monthly salary far exceeding her previous earnings as a teacher, the position allows her to avoid standing trial in Hungary’
She was later released after being named the lead candidate for the Italian far-left green alliance Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra (AVS) in the European Parliament elections, where she won a seat.
However, Hungary has submitted a request to lift Salis’ parliamentary immunity so she can stand trial in the country where she is accused of committing a crime. The EP is set to vote on the matter, and according to Il Giornale, this is precisely what the AVS representative fears. The outlet notes that the chance of MEPs voting in favour of the revocation is significant, prompting Salis to seize every opportunity to protect her own interests.
Salis is now actively campaigning, mostly on biased grounds, to prevent the extradition of her comrade Gino, aiming to avoid setting a precedent that could undermine her own position and lead to prosecution. ‘It would be a serious matter if France were to collaborate in handing over an anti-fascist, that is to say, a political opponent, to be tried with a verdict already written. No anti-fascist should be extradited to Hungary,’ Salis declared.
According to Il Giornale, if France refuses the extradition request, Salis would gain an additional advantage in her parliamentary efforts to retain her immunity and avoid prosecution.
The author of the article concludes, ‘In the world of Salis and her associates, you can go to Hungary, and commit any crime you want, if you later pretend to be an anti-fascist in order to ask for immunity.’ Let’s all hope that is not the case.
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