The parliamentary immunity does not have incidence on the MPs sentenced by a definitive and irrevocable court decision, while their inviolability stops when the case is sent to court. The Constitutional Court on January 20 pronounced on the application of former Communist MP Grigore Petrenco, saying the parliamentary immunity does not have incidence on the MPs also when the national courts of law recognize the definitive conviction decisions passed by foreign courts, IPN reports.

When the MP is sentenced for offenses committed deliberately, including to jail, by definitive court decision, no matter whether it was passed before or after the validation of the seat of MP, the lawmaker is in a situation of ineligibility and cannot hold the post of MP. The Court also noted that the person whose ineligibility is proven after the validation of the election results and the expiration of the period when the results can be challenged or the person who will be in one of the cases of ineligibility described by the Election Code cannot hold the post of MP and their seat is thus invalidated.

The Constitutional Court’s decision is irrevocable and cannot be appealed. Grigore Petrenco asked the Court to interpret articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova concerning the seat and immunity of MPs and the situations of incompatibility involving them.