“This sentence confirms that the Minister Matteo Salvini acted with rigor and sense of responsibility in a delicate situation, highlighting the unfoundedness of the accusations against him”. Also Luca Zaiagovernor of Veneto and big names in the League, rejoices over the acquittal of the deputy prime minister and minister of transport and infrastructure in the trial Open Arms.
Salvini was accused of kidnapping e refusal of documents ex officio for blocking the disembarkation of 147 migrants from the ship of the Spanish NGO in August 2019, when he was Minister of the Interior: the Court of Palermo acquitted him “because the fact does not exist”.
“Justice is done – are Zaia's words -. I have always believed in the good reasons that guided the then Interior Minister Salvini in his decisions. I welcome this ruling.”
“Salvini – continues Zaia – acted in the legitimate interest of our country and in full respect of his institutional responsibilities. It should be remembered that, in the Open Arms case, all the migrants with precarious physical conditions were disembarked promptly, while the others were offered the possibility to leave the ship by signing a form which, however, was never signed by the NGO. Furthermore, the competence for the designation of Place of Safety (Pos) was up to Spain oa Maltanot to Italy, as clarified by the defense. Despite this, the Open Arms ignored the indications received from these States, deliberately choosing to head towards Italy.”
“It should also be underlined – concludes Zaia – that in subsequent contexts and with the governments that followed the Open Arms affair, the waiting times for disembarkation are even doubleddemonstrating how complex the management of these operations was.”
