Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has come under fire for personally welcoming a convicted felon “with full respect” at an airport near Rome: convicted Chico Fordi, according to the ‘Politico’ newspaper. Meloni arrived at the Italian military airport in Bratica di Mar on Sunday for the 2000 murder of hotelier Dale Pike in Florida, after other Italian governments had failed to negotiate his extradition from the United States.
The diplomatic coup was applauded by all – but Maloney’s decision to welcome Fordy with open arms was not. “He was welcomed with all the honors. The only thing missing was the red carpet”, says Walter Verini, senator of the center-left Democratic Party (PD), referring to photos showing the prime minister smiling fondly with his arms folded. The 65-year-old in Italy.
“The work to bring Cicco Fordi started a long time ago and we put a lot of effort into it; myself included”, added Verini, as quoted by Italian daily ‘Corriere della Sera’ this Monday. “It is good that this government has completed the job,” he added. But what Prime Minister Maloney did is unacceptable.