Govt will challenge Sea-Watch rulings says Piantedosi

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 20 - Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Friday that the government would challenge two recent rulings against it and in favour of the German Sea-Watch migrant-rescue NGO. This week a court in Catania ordered the release of the NGO's Sea-Watch 5 migrant-rescue ship after the Italian authorities temporarily impounded it for allegedly breaching the rules for such operations, while judges in Palermo ordered the Italian State to pay 76,000 euros in compensation to it for illegally detaining another of its ships, the Sea Watch 3, in 2019. On Wednesday Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed indignation about the latter decision, saying it was an example of how elements within the judiciary are seeking to thwart the government's efforts to halt illegal immigration. "Up until now we have challenged these types of rulings, using the three-level judicial system (in Italy), and we will continue to do so," Piantedosi said at the opening of a new police office at Rome's central Termini train station. "We have challenged them whenever possible, so we will do the same in this case as well". (ANSA). Read article...

By ANSA