Interior Minister Matteo Salvini
said Monday that he will meet Pope Francis shortly.
"I'll probably have the honour of meeting him this week,"
said Salvini, who is also deputy premier in the new Italian
government and leader of the League party.
"It's a reason for joy".
Salvini has spearheaded the tough line of the League/5-Star
Movement (M5S) government on migrants. This featured Rome
denying permission for the Aquarius migrant-rescue ship with
over 600 people aboard to dock at an Italian port.
The Aquarius arrived in Valencia on Sunday escorted by two
Italian ships.
The pope has repeatedly called for asylum seekers to be
welcomed with open arms.
"The pope rightly speaks to the soul, he speaks of the
supreme good of everyone," Salvini said.
"Those of us who are smaller guarantee rights to refugees,
but we say there isn't room for those who aren't escaping war".
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