The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke on the phone with billionaire Elon Musk after he got involved in Italy's internal political affairs, ANSA, France Presse and "Republika" reported, as quoted by BTA.
The controversy came after Musk commented in "Ex" the decision by judges in Rome to block for the second time an agreement between Italy and Albania to transfer to centers on Albanian territory asylum seekers originating from so-called safe countries and intercepted by Italian authorities in international waters. On Monday, judges from the tribunal in Rome appealed to European justice in connection with the transfer of a second group of migrants to the centers in Albania. The judges want their European colleagues to rule on whether such a transfer of migrants does not contravene European law. Pending this decision, the migrants in question will be moved from Albania to Italy.
Representatives of Meloni's ruling right wing described the Italian judges' decision as political. And in "X" Elon Musk, who played an active role in Donald Trump's election campaign, who Trump nominated to head a new administration efficiency department and who maintains a close relationship with Meloni, commented on the Rome judges' decision. He called for their removal from office. Which gave rise to criticism from the left and from Italian judicial organizations that Musk was interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and thus putting Italy's sovereignty at risk. Some representatives of the right approved the words of the billionaire.
Yesterday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella criticized Musk's intervention and urged him not to teach Italy a lesson. "Italy is a large democratic country that can govern itself by respecting its constitution," Mattarella said in a statement about Musk's intervention.
"Anyone, especially one who is preparing to take, as announced, an important role in the government of a friendly and allied country, must respect its sovereignty and cannot afford to teach it lessons," added Mattarella , without mentioning Musk by name.
At the same time, Musk published a new comment yesterday in "Ex", in which he asked whether the people of Italy live in a democracy or in Italy an autocracy, which is not cast through elections, makes the decisions.
This new comment from the tech mogul was actually a response to Musk's "Ex" on another post which said that "Giorgia Meloni's government in Italy will not be allowed to deport illegal aliens judging by the judges' opinion against her decision.
The same post that sparked Musk's comment yesterday also said that "Italian borders will remain open and the New Europeans will be allowed to flood both Italy and Europe forever".
Musk also yesterday retweeted a post on "X" of far-right Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, who says that Musk and Meloni are right and President Mattarella is wrong about the controversy caused by Musk's intervention in the Roman judges' decision.
"The fact that the judges of the Roman court believe that they are above the government and above the democratic processes is madness,", says Eva Vlaardingerbroek. "They are not a Constitutional Court, so they exceed their jurisdiction by violating the separation of powers," added the Dutch commentator, whose post Musk reposted.
Again yesterday, Meloni's office said that she always listened with great respect to Mattarella's opinion.
And Meloni's deputy chief of staff, Giovanbattista Fazzolari, said Mattarella was right and noted that any interference of any kind must always be rejected, no matter where it comes from.
"It is right and appropriate that the president of the republic, who is the head of the judicial system and the guarantor of the constitution, pronounces and his opinion is heard," said Fazzolari. "Italy can take care of itself. We don't need outside interference from other governments, non-governmental organizations or large media organizations," he added.
"This has always been the case for the "Italian Brothers,", Fazzolari said, expressing bewilderment that the left has spoken of outside interference following comments by Musk, who currently holds no government office.
Today, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also expressed support for Mattarella's position from yesterday.
According to a spokesman for Musk, during his phone conversation with Meloni, which followed all this controversy in Italy, the billionaire emphasized that freedom of speech is protected by the Italian constitution, and that as a citizen he will continue to express free your opinion. Musk's spokesman sent this statement to Italy's ANSA agency after the conversation between Musk and Meloni.
According to the Italian edition "Republika" during Meloni's phone call with Musk, she told him not to make trouble for her. And Musk has assured her that he has respect for the Italian head of state, adds France Press.
Melloni also spoke by phone with Musk after Trump was elected president last week. Then she was among the first leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory in the US elections, ANSA recalls.