(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 16 - The Open Arms case, in which Matteo
Salvini faces a six-year jail request for allegedly kidnapping
147 migrants aboard the Spanish NGO run ship for three weeks in
2019, is an attempted attack on the government, the deputy
premier, transport minister and former hardline anti-immigration
interior minister said Monday.
"I thank the government and the majority parties for their great
and affectionate solidarity," Salvini said after a meeting of
his rightwing League party's federal council.
"It is a political trial and an attempt by the Left to attack
the government and the right to defend national borders," said
the minister, who operated a congroversial closed ports policy
against NGO run rescue ships during his time as interior
minister.
Meanwhile his lawyer Giulia Bongiorno, a Lega Nord senator, said
after the meeting: "There are no weapons. There is no desire to
exacerbate clashes with the judiciary. There is absolute and
full trust in the judiciary, but at the same time there is
awareness that there are some anomalies in this trial. We trust
in a favourable conclusion."
Se was answering reporters who asked her whether there will be a
'call to arms' by the League around the secretary after a
prosecutor requested the six-year term. (ANSA).
Open Arms case attempted attack on govt says Salvini
By Left, also against right to defend national borders