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A Bulgarian MEP caused an uproar in the European Parliament.
After his speech, Angel Dzhambazki walks towards the exit and then makes this gesture:
Parliament President Roberta Metsola said a few minutes later in the plenary session that it would be investigated whether the gesture was a so-called Hitler salute.
The right-wing Bulgarian MP denies that.
Robert Neukirch, SPIEGEL correspondent, Brussels
»He then said afterwards that that would be silly.
That would have just been a kind of farewell and if that was supposed to look like a Hitler salute then he's sorry, but quite a few in the room took it the same way.
And if you look at the video, that's at least one possible interpretation, I would say.«
The incident happened during the debate following an important court decision.
Moritz Körner, FDP MEP
"The grace period for Orbán and Kaczisky has finally expired, and the commission must now fulfill its statutory task."
Robert Neukirch, SPIEGEL correspondent, Brussels
»It was an important day because the European Court of Justice ruled that the so-called rule of law mechanism is legal.
This means that the European Commission can now take action against countries where it feels that European funds are being misused because of corruption or because the judiciary is not working properly.
That's been a huge topic.
Poland and Hungary have complained because they are of course the countries most likely to be affected.
And there was a debate in Parliament and most of the groups in Parliament welcome that. Above all, the big groups, the Conservatives, the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Greens.
And of course there are factions and countries where that is not welcomed.«
For example, the right-wing nationalist party »IMRO Bulgarian National Movement«, to which Angel Djambazki belongs.
The politician sharply criticized the rule of law mechanism in his speech.
After his speech, Dzhambazki continues to scold, then the appearance on the stairs follows.
What are the consequences for the politician?
Robert Neukirch, SPIEGEL correspondent, Brussels
“There are clear rules: anyone who behaves inappropriately in parliament can be punished for it.
This can be the deprivation of the right to speak.
This can be the withdrawal of attendance fees.
So in this framework it will move about.
I don't know exactly what penalty the Speaker of Parliament will impose for this.
But the general outrage is great and so is the pressure on them to do something about it.
It may also be that in the end there is just a reprimand, because you will somehow have to prove very clearly that you really meant the Hitler salute, which may not be easy."
