Top Polish MEP quits EU elections over 'Heil Hitler' rant

MEP Jacek Protasiewicz attending a party meeting in Wroclaw on Saturday Photo: PAP/Maciej Kulczynski

Protasiewicz, who had headed Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform party at the European Parliament before stepping down on 28 February, has claimed that he made the decision after consulting with EP lawyers.

“They told me that the procedure of clarifying the incident will take longer than the amount of time we have to finalise the electoral lists,” Protasiewicz said, who has been accused of being drunk when getting into an argument with a customs official.

Protasiewicz had earlier admitted drinking two small bottles of wine while on a flight from Warsaw to Frankfurt a fortnight ago.

However, he initially argued that he had been provoked by German customs officials.

According to German tabloid Bild, the Polish MEP behaved aggressively on arrival at Frankfurt Airport.

“Have you ever been to Auschwitz?” he is alleged to have asked a customs official, as well as shouting “Heil Hitler.”

Government spokesperson Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska commented that Protasiewicz's decision to stand down is “sensible.”

Civic Platform will approve its regional electoral lists for the European Parliament elections on 22 March.

The elections are due to take place from 22 May to 25 May.

At present, Protasiewicz continues to head Civic Platform in the Lower Silesia region. (nh)

Source: PAP