02 March 2017•Update: 02 March 2017
BRUSSELS
EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani started an investigation against a far-right Polish member of the parliament over his sexist remarks during a plenary session late Wednesday, according to an EP statement on Thursday.
Women "must earn less than men" at work "because they are weaker, smaller and less intelligent," Janusz Korwin-Mikke, 74, said at a parliamentary session on wage inequality between men and women.
Several female MEPs expressed their disapproval of the sexist remarks of the Polish parliamentarian, who is also known for his previous racist words.
Lawmaker Iratxe Garcia Perez from Spain said she was in the parliament to defend European women against men like Mikke.
Another MEP, Roberta Metsola from Malta, wrote on Twitter: "MEP Korwin-Mikke's comments in #EPlenary are not only offensive to women, they betray the values of the entire EU. No home for #misogyny."
Miriam Dalli from the Socialists and Democrats Group, also shared her disapproval on Facebook.
"It is unbelievable that in 2017 we have people who believe that women are less intelligent than men and so they should earn less. More so, it is incredible that these words were uttered in the European Parliament.
"Men and women deserve equal pay for equal work and it is time that society treats everyone equally. It's time that we all stood up to be counted."
Reporting by Hasan Esen; Writing by Ayse Humeyra Atilgan
