(Adnkronos) – Libyan war crimes suspect Osama Almasry Njeem’s repatriation in January has strengthened premier Giorgia Meloni and her government, foreign minister Antonio Tajani has argued.
“It seems to me that the government has emerged stronger from this affair – this is what the polls say,” Tajani told the Tg4 channel late Wednesday.
Surveys this month showed approval ratings of 50% for the centre-right against 31% for the centre-left. A total 42% of Italians backed the Meloni government’s repatriation of Njeem aboard a state aircraft two days after his arrest in Italy on an International Criminal Court warrant.
“It seems to me that the government has worked to safeguard the national interest, the security of our country, while upholding the law – despite yells of protest from the opposition,” Tajani said.
Italy’s justice minister Carlo Nordio told lawmakers on Wednesday that Rome had to free Njeem – who faces charges of torture, murder, rape and crimes against humanity – due to “inaccuracies, omissions, discrepancies and contradictory conclusions” in the ICC’s warrant.
Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi, who also addressed parliament, reiterated to MPs that Njeem was repatriated because he was viewed as a national security threat.
Meloni, Nordio, Piantedosi and cabinet undersecretary for intelligence, Alfredo Mantovano, are under investigation by Rome’s chief prosector Francesco Le Voi for allegedly aiding and abetting a crime and misusing public funds in the Njeem case – claims all four deny.
Njeem’s repatriation was being exploited politically “by some magistrates”, Tajani said in the Tg4 interview.
An opposition accusations that Meloni was “a chicken” for failing to address parliament herself over the Njeem case were “vulgar and unfitting of Italy’s institutions,” Tajani said.
“This is not what citizens need,” Tajani stated.
Centre-left Democratic Party leader Elly Schein has claimed the government “tarnished Italy’s international credibility” by freeing Njeem, and the ICC has demanded an explanation over why his release and return to Libya occurred without consultation with the court.
