ROME — Italy’s supreme court has mandated the government to provide compensation to a group of migrants who were kept stranded at sea on a coast guard ship in 2018. This situation was a result of strict anti-migration measures enforced by Matteo Salvini, who was the Interior Minister at that time. Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed her discontent with the court’s verdict, labeling it as “questionable” and “frustrating.”
The court’s decision, announced on Thursday night, overturns a previous ruling and calls on the Italian government to compensate the migrants affected during this standoff. The matter has now been referred back to a lower court to determine the precise compensation amount. The case was initiated by a group of Eritrean migrants in response to the 190 migrants stranded by the Italian coast guard vessel, Diciotti, in August 2018. Initially, thirteen migrants in need of medical attention were allowed to disembark on the island of Lampedusa. The ship then sailed to Catania in Sicily, where it was held for around 10 days by orders from Salvini, before the remaining 177 migrants were disembarked.
Meloni, who heads a conservative coalition that includes Salvini, the hardline Leader of the League and Italy’s vice-premier, stated that the ruling would not bolster the public’s trust in institutions. She argued in a social media statement that due to this decision, the government would have to use funds from law-abiding Italian taxpayers to compensate individuals who attempted to unlawfully enter the country.
Referring to the judgment as “absurd,” Salvini took to social media to suggest that the magistrates advocating for compensation should fund it from their own pockets if they are keen to assist their “beloved migrants.” Salvini has consistently maintained that his actions were aimed at safeguarding Italy’s borders.
This ruling adds another dimension to the ongoing tension between Italy’s judiciary and the Meloni administration, which is pursuing significant reforms to the judicial system. Critics claim these reforms could undermine the system’s independence. Furthermore, Italian courts have been scrutinizing Meloni’s main policy initiative involving the transfer of migrants to expensive reception centers in Albania, designed for expedited processing.
