A political-judiciary row has erupted
in Italy following a Palermo prosecutor's request for a six-year
jail term for former interior minister Matteo Salvini for
allegedly kidnapping 147 migrants who he stopped from landing at
Lampedusa for several days as part of his controversial closed
ports policy for migrant rescue ships five years ago.
Salvini said he was only defending Italian borders in keeping
the migrants aboard Spanish NGO Open Arms ship as part of his
hardline anti-migrant policy.
He was defended by Premier Giorgia Meloni who voiced full
solidarity with her colleague, who is now deputy premier and
transport minister, and said the sentence request "sets a
dangerous precedent", saying that defending Italy's borders was
"not a crime".
But centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly
Schlein called Meloni's implicit criticism of the judiciary
"inappropriate".
Magistrates union ANM said Sunday that insinuations that the
prosecutor was guilty of practising "political justice" were
serious charges and placed unacceptable pressure on Italian
judges.
Salviini was also defended by his other government ally,
centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) leader and deputy
premier and foreign minister Antonio Tajani, who said "Matteo
Salvini did his duty as interior minister in order to defend
legality. Asking for six years in jail for this reason seems an
unreasonable choice and has not juridical basis".
Even Elon Musk weighed in on the case Saturday night with the
Tesla, SpaceX and X chief saying "that crazy prosecutor should
be the one going to jail for six years, this is crazy".
AS the row continued to rumble on Sunday, Senate Speaker Ignazio
La Russa said Italian prosecutors often want to interpret rules
rather than applying the law.
"I have full faith in justice, but I think that often the
prosecution, in trials such as this one, lets the argument
prevail that they want to entrust the prosecutor with the task
of extensive interpretation of the rules," said La Russa, a
heavyweight in Meloni's rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
La Russa is also the second highest institutional figure in
Italy behind President Sergio Mattarella.
"Justice according to them (the prosecutors) should interpret
the rules and correct them," he continued.
"But it is not up to the judiciary to correct the rules, even
when they are wrong: it can only apply the law".
Veteran former Palermo and Turin chief prosecutor Gian Carlo
Caselli told Corriere della Sera Sunday that Italian politicians
don't accept being judged by the judiciary.
"It has become a habit, criticising a magistrate," said Caselli,
who led high-profile graft and mafia cases in his long and
distinguished career.
"But by doing that you create a paradox. Those who do their duty
even towards a politician, probing them for crimes, end up
themselves in the dock and are paradoxically accused of doing
politics".
Salvini on Sunday thanked everyone for their support,
publishing the statements from Meloni and Tajani among others.
"Thank you all for the support. Surrender? Never. I do not give
up," said the rightwing anti-immigrant League party leader.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
