BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Parliament president is set to start a disciplinary procedure against a Bulgarian nationalist legislator who appeared to make a Nazi salute when he left a plenary debate on the rule of law late Wednesday.

MEP Angel Dzhambazki of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists group said his raising of his right arm as he walked out of the plenary was “an example of taking something out of context” and blowing it up out of proportion.

“I will not allow my name to be slandered,” he said in a Tweet.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola identified it as a fascist salute however, and said it “is unacceptable to me — always and everywhere.”

“That gesture is from the darkest chapter of our history and must be left there,” she said.

A parliament official, who asked not to be identified because the event was still being investigated, said that a breach of rules probe was expected to be initiated. Metsola was traveling back from Strasbourg to Brussels to attend the EU-Africa summit.

Dzhambazki will likely be invited to come explain himself before sanctions could be discussed. Possible punishments could include financial sanctions and suspension from parliamentary proceedings.

The incident happened late Wednesday in the debate on the EU's highest court ruling that the 27-nation bloc can suspend support payments to member states if they breach rule of law principles.

The right-wing governments of Hungary and Poland, which had challenged the EU’s right to take such action, responded by arguing that the rule lacked a proper legal basis and would fundamentally interfere with their running of national business.

Dzhambazki called the ruling “an abomination.”