Salvini probed for kidnapping migrants

(ANSA) - Milan, April 15 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is under investigation for kidnapping migrants, Salvini himself said Monday.
    He said he is being probed for allegedly abducting migrants allegedly held on a ship stopped from landing in Siracusa from January 24 to 30 this year.
    Salvini said the prosecutor in the case, Carmelo Zuccaro, had filed to dismiss the case at the same time as he had submitted the charges.
    Earlier this year the Senate voted not to lift Salvini's parliamentary immunity to face charges in another alleged migrant kidnapping case.
    Salvini took the opportunity Monday to respond to fellow Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio who on Sunday said Italy's blockade of ports to NGO migrant rescue ships was "only temporary", sources said.
    Salvini said "I take the opportunity to reply to the minister: for me the ports will remain closed", reiterating his long-held stance.
    He said "I respect the work of the colleague Di Maio who is dealing with jobs, but on the issues of the control of borders and organised crime it's me who decides.
    "If minister Di Maio or (Defence Minister Elisabetta) Trenta think differently they should say so in cabinet and we'll have a frank discussion.
    "With me the ports will remain unavailably closed and sealed to the traffickers in human beings".
    At the weekend Di Maio and Trenta both warned of the prospect of a surge in migrants leaving Libya because of the conflict there.
    Trenta said that "with the war in Libya, migrants become refugees".