Salvini says not accepting plea deal in Open Arms case

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 17 - Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday night that he will not be accepting a plea deal in the Open Arms case in which Palermo prosecutors have requested a six-year prison term for him for allegedly kidnapping 147 migrants on board the Spanish NGO ship who he stopped from landing at Lampedusa on August 14-20, 2019.
    The measure was part of the League leader's controversial closed ports policy for NGO-run migrant rescue ships when he was interior minister five years ago.
    "I am not plea bargaining, I am convinced that I am right and I will go forward until the Cassation", Italy's highest appeals court, the League leader told the 'Quarta Repubblica' program of Mediaset's Rete 4.
    Salvini went on to state that he would not be accepting a deal "because I believe that I defended the security of my country and that I kept a promise", noting that he had told voters to choose him so he would "reduce landings". (ANSA).