Rome, March 8, 2025 – The Europe Today: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday criticized the Supreme Court of Cassation’s ruling in favor of a group of migrants who were denied disembarkation from the Italian Coast Guard’s Diciotti vessel in August 2018. The court upheld their appeal and ordered the Italian government to compensate them for being deprived of their personal freedom.
Meloni described the ruling as “highly questionable”, stating that it contradicts legal precedents and the prosecutor general’s conclusions. She further criticized the ruling, saying:
“Due to this decision, the government will need to pay compensation—with the money of honest Italian citizens who pay taxes—to people who tried to enter Italy illegally, violating the law of the Italian State.”
The League party, led by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, condemned the ruling as “absurd”, with a statement on social media suggesting that judges should pay out of their own pockets if they support illegal migration.
The Cassation Court’s decision sends the case to a regular tribunal to determine the amount of compensation for the migrants. The Diciotti vessel had rescued 190 migrants on August 16, 2018, but 177 remained stranded on board for 10 days due to Salvini’s closed ports policy. Salvini was investigated for alleged abduction, but the Senate blocked any further legal action against him.
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also disagreed with the ruling, stating that it is the government’s duty to defend national borders and warning that such compensation claims could create a financial crisis for the state.
