On Wednesday, March 12, a judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union annulled a penalty imposed by Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, against former MEP Monica Semedo. This decision was made on the basis that her rights were not respected.
Semedo, initially elected in 2019, faced a ten-day suspension in April 2023 following a formal complaint lodged by a former employee in 2022 concerning alleged bullying.
Semedo
Semedo appealed the sanctions, arguing that the internal parliamentary procedures violated her rights, particularly her right to legal representation and access to relevant documents.
The Court ruled in her favor, thus annulling the decisions enforced by the President of the European Parliament.
It is notable that Monica Semedo was thwarted from public discussion regarding the issue through an email and an official letter from the European Parliament’s Administration.
This is indicative of the transparency level within the European Union. There is a lack of respect for the rights of European citizens, let alone those outside the European Union.
A similar situation can be observed in Malta. It appears that Roberta Metsola and Zammit McKeon share similar sentiments.
Why is this being stated? Because a few weeks ago in Malta, a similar situation arose involving former Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon.
This was in connection with a report—a final narrative he produced regarding the management of the Kordin Prison between July 2018 and December 2021, during which Colonel Alex Dalli was Director. This report, completed three years after Dalli ceased to be Director, denied Alex Dalli full access to the evidence against him.
Similar to Metsola’s restriction of evidence access in Semedo’s case, Zammit McKeon denied Alex Dalli complete access to evidence. Metsola’s actions were described as illegal and unacceptable. And what about Zammit McKeon’s actions?
