Schulz sanctions MEP Buonanno for his plenary language

The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz i met MEP Gianluca Buonanno i on Wednesday, 11 February 2015, after being informed by the relevant services about his intervention in the debate on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo which took place on Tuesday 10 February 2015, during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

After having transmitted the decision to MEP Buonanno yesterday, President Schulz made the following statement on the case:

"I have decided to sanction MEP Buonanno with a forfeiture of entitlement to his daily subsistence allowance for a period of seven days, according to Rule 166 of the Rules of Procedures.

I also informed MEP Buonanno that I do not intend to further tolerate his derogatory language and behaviour, his staged boutades, his breaking of protocol and security rules. Should he continue on this path, I will not refrain from exploring all the options made available by Rule 166.

My role as President of the European Parliament is to guarantee and uphold the highest standards of conduct for MEPs in the plenary and protect the good name of the institution which we represent.

On behalf of the European Parliament, I also convey my apologies to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini i who was the target of the insulting language of Mr Buonanno.

In the European Parliament, MEPs are fully entitled to criticise, question and challenge other speakers, their ideas and actions. They are not entitled to use insulting language, damaging the dignity and reputation of the European Parliament.

Although the remit of my competences extends to the conduct of the plenary, I take this opportunity to also convey my solidarity and sympathy to all those who have been targeted and insulted by Mr Buonanno's language outside the European Parliament."