Catania's court for ministers on Thursday requested authorization to proceed with a case in which Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is accused of kidnapping for refusing to allow over 100 migrants saved by the Coast Guard to get off the Diciotti ship during a 10-day stand-off with the EU in August. The request was made even though prosecutors in the Sicilian city had requested the case be dropped.
"They are trying again," League leader Salvini said in a live Facebook broadcast.
"Once again I am under investigation for kidnapping people and minors, with a possible term of between three and 15 years.
"I wouldn't get that even if I were a drug dealer or a rapist. "Now it's up to the Senate and the Senators will have to say yes or no, free or innocent, trial or not.
"But I say right away that my position is not changing one centimetre. "I ask the Italian people if they think I should keep being minister, exercising rights and duties, or if should ask this court or another about immigration policy. "I admit it, I confess it and I stand by it - I stopped the disembarkment.
"And I declare myself guilty of the crimes of the coming months, because I'm not changing".
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