Open Arms, EU Parliament rejects Lega’s request to debate Salvini’s judicial affairs

From the correspondent in Strasbourg – To discuss what is happening in Italy, specifically the request of the Palermo Public Prosecutor’s Office for six years imprisonment for the Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, for the closing of Italian ports to Open Arms ships carrying asylum seekers: An affair that the Lega is attempting to bring to the European Parliament, with a request for a modification of the agenda to include a plenary debate complete with a statement from the European Commission. However, the request was rejected​.

The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, received the request of the Patriots for Europe group and put the proposed revision of the agenda to a vote, to which, however, the Chamber said “no” with 279 votes against, 102 in favour, and 13 abstentions. Everything remains as it is. 

The outcome does not please Lega’s delegation, which, at the end of the quick consultation, attacks the Ursula majority (Popular-Socialists-Liberals and Greens, Ed.) for “shamefully voting against.” Replies Pasquale Tridico of the 5 Star Movement. “Even in Italy, politicians must respect humanitarian and state laws, and what Salvini did was beyond state and humanitarian laws,” lunges the 5 Star MEP.