Prosecutors in Palermo, Sicily today asked for a six-year prison sentence for Matteo Salvini, secretary of the League, Meloni's deputy prime minister and its transport minister.
The court case concerns Salvini's decision not to allow - when he was interior minister in August 2019 - the disembarkation in Lower Italy of 147 migrants and refugees who had been rescued by the ship of the Spanish non-governmental organization Open Arms.
"There is a basic principle that cannot be disputed. Between human rights and the protection of state sovereignty, based on our democratic principles, the former must always prevail ," said Attorney Jerry Ferrara during his speech.
"Whoever is in danger and is at sea, must be rescued. Regardless of whether he is a passenger, a crew member or an immigrant ," he added.
Matteo Salvini is accused of depriving immigrants of their freedom and of refusing to proceed with actions imposed by the state apparatus.
For her part, Salvini's defense attorney, Giulia Buggiorno, underlined that "with today's plea, the prosecutor opposes the government decrees concerning immigration, against the line on the basis of which the redistribution of immigrants must first be decided and only then should their disembarkation follow".
Salvini has recently come out both against the continuation of the war in Ukraine, attacking Macron for his proposal to send European troops to Kiev, and in favor of Trump.
Especially for the latter, the Italian Minister had stated the following last May:
"I do not judge, it seems to me a political trial, like so many that happened in the past here in Italy. The Americans will choose. I hope Trump wins, because every "Democratic" presidency has coincided with planetary chaos, while Republican presidential terms have coincided with peace. I hope Trump wins, who will proceed with a more balanced administration than the current one."
"Dear Macron, if you want war, take your helmet and slingshot and go to war, but don't 'break the balls' of young Italians and Europeans ", he had told Macron at another point, in statements that had caused a variety of comments in the European press.
0 Comments