Populist leader Matteo Salvini says he is ready to face a trial. AP
Populist leader Matteo Salvini says he is ready to face a trial. AP
Populist leader Matteo Salvini says he is ready to face a trial. AP
Populist leader Matteo Salvini says he is ready to face a trial. AP

Italian Senate votes for trial of Matteo Salvini in migrant case


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Italy's hard-right leader Matteo Salvini will face trial on charges of illegally detaining migrants at sea after Italian senators voted to lift immunity for the former deputy Prime Minister.

Senators voted 152-76 in favour of removing the legal protection that had shielded him as a former cabinet minister, in a move that paves the way for what could be a career-ending trial.

The decision gives magistrates in Sicily approval to press charges over his decision to keep more than 100 migrants aboard a coastguard ship for six days last July as he waited for other EU states to agree to take them in.

Mr Salvini, the head of Italy's anti-immigration League party, who was serving as interior minister at the time, could face up to 15 years in jail if found guilty at the end of Italy's tortuous legal process.

Conviction could also bar him from political office, ending his ambitions to lead a future government.

"I have defended Italy. I have full and total faith in the justice system," Mr Salvini said after the vote.

"I am not worried at all, and I'm proud of what I've done," he said, adding he would "do it again when I get back into power".

Senators from Mr Salvini’s party on a senate commission granted their leader's wishes and voted last month in favour of lifting his immunity, paving the way for Wednesday's debate and vote by the full Senate.

"I have chosen against my own interests to go to court and rely on the impartiality of the judiciary," Mr Salvini said.

"Unlike others who run away, I will calmly await judgment, first of the courts and then of the Italian people when they get to vote."

Mr Salvini faces no immediate risk under Italy's complex legal system but the case could prove a distraction to other investigations against him.

This month another tribunal in Sicily recommended that he stand trial over another migrant stand-off last August. Parliament is expected to decide on the case this year.

During his 14 months as interior minister, Mr Salvini made tackling migrant arrivals by sea a priority, barring rescue ships from ports and threatening the charities operating them with fines.

In July, two weeks before he abandoned a coalition with the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement, he refused to let migrants leave the Gregoretti coastguard vessel, ignoring pleas from human rights groups.

Magistrates in Sicily say this was an abuse of power and amounted to a form of kidnapping.

But under Italian law, former ministers cannot be tried for actions taken while in office unless Parliament authorises it.

"The Senate was asked a precise question: did minister Salvini act in the national interest, yes or no?" leftist politician Anna Ascani said.

"For us it is 'No'. This was election campaigning using 100 people aboard an Italian ship."

The Gregoretti investigation echoes another case from last year when magistrates sought to try Mr Salvini over his decision to keep 150 migrants on a coastguard ship for five days in August 2018.

Parliament blocked that request, with Five-Star rallying to his support, saying the decision to keep the migrants at sea was a collective one.

This time, Mr Salvini's former allies say he acted without prior assent.

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The biog

Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza

Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine 

France is her favourite country to visit

Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family

Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter

Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country

The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns

Her motto is to never stop working for the country

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate

Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

THE DETAILS

Kaala

Dir: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar  

Rating: 1.5/5 

MATCH INFO

Manchester United v Everton
Where:
Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now