Former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has been acquitted of “kidnapping” for closing Italian ports to a migrant-ferry vessel during his time as interior minister. Strictly speaking, Mr. Salvini was not acquitted, since the case never went to trial: Judge Nunzio Sarpietro in the Sicilian city of Catania has thrown the case out.
In the following video Mr. Salvini speaks to the press after the resolution of his case. To my mind, the euphoric atmosphere of the occasion is marred by the fact that everyone present is wearing those infernal COVID masks.
Many thanks to HeHa for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes and RAIR Foundation for the subtitling:
See this Yahoo News story for more on the case.
Video transcript:
| 00:00 | I would like to dedicate this fine day and this acquittal to my children, | |
| 00:05 | to the Italian people and to the decent foreigners. | |
| 00:09 | And particularly to the men and the women of law enforcement. | |
| 00:13 | Who fight every day to keep our country safe, often with their bare hands. | |
| 00:22 | This judicial system has stated that a Minister who defended Italy’s dignity | |
| 00:27 | and Italy’s borders is a Minister who was just doing his own job. | |
| 00:31 | I am satisfied, and I will reaffirm that if and when Italians decide | |
| 00:38 | to vote to have me back in the Government, I will do exactly the same. | |
| 00:46 | Because regular, vetted, and controlled immigration is something positive. | |
| 00:52 | The Lampedusa-like immigration, where 3,000 migrants | |
| 00:55 | landed just in one weekend, brings nothing but chaos. | |
| 00:58 | And Italy needs no chaos right now. | |
| 01:01 | My attorney was just saying that. This judge studied the case thoroughly, | |
| 01:08 | worked hard and took responsibility. | |
| 01:13 | Others choose easier ways, probably. | |
| 01:18 | But I do believe that today repays me, after all the accusations | |
| 01:22 | and the things they said against me. | |
| 01:26 | I’m just sorry for all the taxpayers’ money spent | |
| 01:29 | on these days that have been engaging hundreds of people. |
Thank God, vote for Him , He can stop this madness with this boats , it’s a last chance..
Thanks for sharing this news from Italy. An AP (Associated Propaganda) report notes that Salvini is “right wing” and that he was accused of preventing “migrants” from being “saved” by “rescue ships.”
Salvini still faces charges in Palermo, for his efforts to prevent a Spanish ship from docking in 2019.