The Italian government is set to launch a package of measures to combat crime, but the hypothesis of repatriating foreign juvenile offenders has so far not been included in the security decree currently under discussion. More time is needed, said the government, before the final set of proposals are put to the President and Parliament for approval.
A package of measures to be included in the Italian government's latest security decree will require at least an additional 10 days to be drafted before it can be examined by the Quirinale presidential office, presided over by Italy's head of state President Sergio Mattarella.
Meanwhile, a government meeting, held on January 20, and chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, discussed the measures left out of the request made by the League party led by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini to repatriate foreign minors who commit a crime, among others.
The League has insisted the measure is important through its leader Salvini: "On the theme of immigration and the lack of integration, more severity is necessary. It means that unaccompanied minors who are being hosted at the expense of Italians will stop being supported by Italians if they commit a crime."
Salvini called for the cooperation of opposition members, saying he hoped "they will also make a contribution," and help vote the bill through.
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Future additions to draft text not ruled out
The new rules backed by the League are currently not part of the draft package being evaluated by government members, although potential cuts or integrations to the text in the coming days have not been ruled out.
Both a bill and a decree have been lined up, with some measures possibly being moved from one draft legislative package to the other.
With the potential green light from the Quirinale, the part of the text aiming to combat rising youth crime -- initially conceived in a bill -- could become part of the decree.
In general, the draft texts informally presented to the president's office for a preventive evaluation include a number of critical issues. However, the cabinet meeting proved conclusive, according to government sources who said the proposals made by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi were all allegedly accepted.
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Some ministers call for even tougher measures
The League has once again stressed the "urgency of approving a security package including, among other things, the possibility of setting up red zones and strengthened vigilance more quickly." So-called 'Red zones' are being implemented during the Milano-Cortina winter olympics, starting on February 6. According to reports in the Italian press, additional security patrols will be implemented in the designated zones, and access may be limited to the public for parts of the day.
The same idea will also be applied to areas regarded as problematic and a risk to the security of the general public. The aim is to "intervene in degraded and drug-dealing" urban areas "by reporting predatory crime that can help stave off troublesome, aggressive individuals with a criminal record," League sources said.
Such offenders can be kept away through a restraining order or a ban to access certain urban environments, they explained.
"Today, 75 percent of measures concern foreigners," the sources claimed.
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Measures to facilitate the expulsion of violent migrants
The actual implementation of an announced crackdown on foreign juvenile offenders, however, remains uncertain.
Asked by reporters whether the Quirinale palace (the president's office) could disagree with the measures, Salvini replied: "I can't foresee it. I think these are commonsense measures, shared and requested by associations, by families -- what could raise questions?"
Salvini went on to say nobody would object to "measures against those who don't respect the law, including so-called 'unaccompanied minors' who today remain until they are 21 and who are often 21 like me," declared the 52-year-old minister with heavy irony.
Speaking about irregular migration, the interior ministry stated that it continues to take action while waiting for the new measures to be passed.
In the meantime, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi sent a memo to prefects and police chiefs urging them to favor "with the utmost determination" the expulsion of violent migrants threatening "public security." The memo was designed to give a steer on how to interpret current legislation.
The memo said: "A few recent events have highlighted the need to pursue with the utmost determination the objective -- a priority for public security -- to repatriate irregular foreigners present on the national territory who have been the perpetrators of dangerous behaviors."
It also stressed that irregular migrants waiting to return to their country of origin must remain within repatriation centers, "ruling out the possibility of release from the facility."
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