The Palermo prosecutor’s office on Saturday requested a six-year prison sentence for Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and former Interior Minister, on charges of kidnapping and abuse of power.
The proceedings against the leader of the League party began three years ago, after he, as Interior Minister in 2019, refused to allow the Spanish civilian ship “Open Arms,” with 147 migrants aboard, to dock in Lampedusa. The government, led by Giuseppe Conte and dominated by the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the League, kept the “Open Arms” ship waiting for 19 days in August 2019. Eventually, the Agrigento prosecutor’s office in Sicily intervened and permitted the ship to land.
In the summer of 2020, parliament revoked Matteo Salvini’s immunity in connection with charges of kidnapping, abuse of power, and violations of international conventions brought against the former Interior Minister.
However, Salvini remains proud of his actions in defending Italy’s borders and stated that he would do the same again if necessary.
Translated and edited by Alex Kada
