A Catania judge on Monday put off,
for the third time due to the coronavirus crisis, a preliminary
hearing into former interior minister Matteo Salvini's alleged
'kidnapping' of rescued migrants aboard a coast guard ship last
July.
The hearing will take place on October 3, the judge ruled.
Nationalist opposition League party leader Salvini refused a
landing berth to the 131 migrants aboard the Gregoretti ship
from July 27 to 31, when authorisation to land at Augusta near
Siracusa came from a judge.
It is not the only migrant 'kidnap' case in which prosecutors
have asked to put Salvini on trial.
He has described any such trial as a "badge of honour".
Salvini says he was defending Italy's borders.
During his 14-month stint as interior minister Salvini denied
access to Italian waters to NGO run migrant rescue ships.
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