The head of Italy's
anti-immigrant Northern League took another swipe at the Italian
Bishops Conference CEI on Tuesday, ridiculing its leader in an
ongoing feud with the Italian Church over immigration policies.
CEI Secretary-General Monsignor Nunzio Galantino has
criticised politicians who fuel anti-migrant sentiments, and has
complained about the government's response to the Mediterranean
refugee crisis. His comments have prompted harsh replies from
Northern League members.
League leader Matteo Salvini continued the clash on
Tuesday, telling Radio Anch'io that he did not view Galantino as
a bishop, but as a "joke".
"Luckily, the large part of the Church speaks very little
and works a lot. I'm attacking those bishops that would want to
run for parliament for the Communist party," Salvini said.
He also renewed calls for the Cara di Mineo refugee
reception centre near Catania to be closed.
"There are countless investigations into that centre, and
the local mayors all say it is an enclave of crime," he said.
Catholic daily Avvenire also waded in on the immigration
issue on Tuesday, calling for an end to "racist hysteria" but
agreeing that the Cara reception centre in Mineo, Sicily -
Europe's biggest migrant centre - needed to be closed after a
string of incidents including a recent double murder allegedly
by an Ivorian who escaped from it.
"Keeping 3,000 people in a reception centre long-term is
madness," the paper wrote in an editorial.
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