Rome clashes with Budapest over punishment of Italian prisoner

Tensions were high after a meeting between Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó after the latter accused Italy of ‘interfering’ with Hungarian justice in the case of Italian prisoner Ilaria Salis.

Salis, a 39-year-old left-wing activist, has been held in Budapest since 11 February on suspicion of aggravated assault against three right-wing activists.

The images of Salis, handcuffed at the wrists and ankles and held in chains by a policeman, provoked criticism from the Italian public and resulted in the government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, to suggest to Salis’ family that they apply for house arrest in Budapest.

“I am shocked by the Italian reactions (…) This lady has been presented here in Italy as a kind of victim, a martyr”, Szijjártó said.

“It is surprising that Italy tries to interfere in a Hungarian court case. This lady came to Hungary with a clear plan to attack innocent people in the streets as part of a radical left-wing organisation”, he added.

And then: “Those people were almost killed (…) No extreme left-wing group should see Hungary as a kind of boxing ring where they come to plan to beat someone to death (…) I sincerely hope this lady will receive the deserved punishment in Hungary”.

Meloni, an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was quick to clarify that there was ‘no interference’ from Rome, only an interest in protecting the rights of the detainees.

“We do this for Mrs Salis as we do for all Italian detainees around the world (…) Within the EU, rules regarding detention must be respected. We are guarantors, we have said what can be done”, the Italian minister clarified.

In addition to reiterating that the Meloni government is “in constant contact with Salis’ family”, Tajani said that he had written to the Hungarian foreign minister “to say what we can do” and that, if house arrest is granted in Budapest, Rome demands that the safety of the detainee and her family be guaranteed.

Meanwhile, a Celtic cross and violent inscriptions against Salis have appeared on a wall near the Hungarian embassy in Rome. Ilaria’s father, Roberto Salis, spoke of the Hungarian minister’s interference in the judicial process in Budapest.

“Without the trial having yet entered its initial stages, the representative of the executive power of the Orban government is ruling that Ilaria allegedly premeditated the attacks and is trying to influence the judge’s decisions by demanding exemplary punishments. This is a clear demonstration that the case brought against Ilaria is a political trial and that the Orban government directly controls the Hungarian judiciary in defiance of European standards”, said Salis.

(Federica Pascale | Euractiv.it)