Romanian MEP faces prosecution
The European Parliament has voted to waive the parliamentary immunity of Romanian MEP Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă. The plenary vote on Tuesday, April 28, clears the path for Romanian prosecutors to pursue criminal charges against her.
The decision followed a formal recommendation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI). Lawmakers approved the measure by a show of hands, securing a broad majority in the plenary session.
Romanian authorities officially requested the waiver in September 2025. The prosecution stems from two separate criminal allegations, including the illegal deprivation of liberty and the public glorification of a convicted war criminal.
The Elie Wiesel National Institute for Studying the Holocaust in Romania alerted judicial authorities to the latter charge in February 2024. They cited a press release published on the S.O.S. Romania party website, signed by Șoșoacă, which allegedly violated national laws against praising war criminals.
Additionally, Șoșoacă faces charges of physical violence and unlawful detention. Three individuals filed a complaint stating they were held against their will in a Bucharest apartment for approximately 20 minutes on December 10, 2021.
Stripped of her EU parliamentary protections, Șoșoacă now faces active criminal investigation and potential trial under the Romanian penal code.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
