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A former Swiss parliamentarian has been stripped of his immunity, paving the way for a legal investigation into corruption allegations over lobbying efforts by Kazakhstan. He is suspected of accepting money \u2013 CHF4,635 ($4,760) \u2013 from a lobbyist in return for trying to serve the interests of Kazakhstan in parliament.<\/p>\n Initially, the committee had refused to move on Miesch, arguing his involvement was not significant enough to justify lifting his immunity.<\/p>\n Miesch has denied any wrongdoing. As for the lobbyist, Thomas Borer, a former Swiss ambassador, he also faces a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n The Swiss chapter of the non-governmental Transparency International group welcomed Wednesday\u2019s decision by parliament. It said the allegations are serious and deserve a thorough examination.<\/p>\n Source: swissinfo.ch<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>It is a first in the parliamentary history of modern-day Switzerland. A committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday followed the Senate committee, lifting the immunity from prosecution of Christian Miesch, who sat in parliament for the rightwing Swiss People\u2019s Party until 2015.<\/p>\n
\nTwo other parliamentarians suspected of passing on confidential documents to a Kazakh lobbyist and accepting a paid trip were also involved in the case but did not have their immunity lifted.<\/p>\n