Deputy Premier and Interior Minister
Matteo Salvini said Monday that he had positive talks with
President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal palace.
Salvini called for the meeting last week after the supreme
Cassation Court ruled that almost 49 million euros of League
party funds should be seized "wherever they are" in relation to
a case of alleged misappropriation.
Afterwards Salvini said he had a "useful, positive and
constructive" meeting with the head of State.
He said the talks were "useful to both of us and projected
into the future. Some people deal with the past, I and the head
of State have worked on the future to the satisfaction of both
of us".
The encounter focused on migration, security, terrorism, the
seizure of assets from the mafia and Libya, sources at the head
of State's department said. No reference was made to the
judiciary, the sources said.
Before the meeting the office of the president said that
"evaluations or considerations concerning judicial decisions
will be excluded" from the talks.
Magistrates union ANM said that an eventual call for
intervention by the head of state in the case of the seizure of
League funds would be unconstitutional.
Speaking to supporters on Sunday Salvini said he would tell
Mattarella he would not be deterred by the ruling.
"I will tell him what we are doing (in government) but
especially that Italy is a democratic republic and that the
Italians are the only ones to decide with their vote. If (the
magistrature) thinks it can frighten me it has got the wrong
person," he said.
Salvini also took issue with allegedly politicised judges.
"Justice is too serious a matter to be used for political
purposes," he said.
Separately, on Monday the interior minister said that he
hoped to travel to Russia on Sunday for the World Cup final and
to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Italy could do with dozens of men like him, who act in the
interest of their citizens," Salvini said.
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