Meloni 'astonished' by ruling against migrant decree

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 2 - Premier Giorgia Meloni on Mondayexpressed shock at a decision by a Catania court to release amigrant from detention on the grounds that measures in a recentgovernment decree are allegedly illegitimate.
   Under the decree, migrants can be held in pre-expulsion CPRcentres for up to 18 months but can post a 'bail' of 5,000 eurosin order to avert being detained, a measure that has spurredwidespread criticism.
   "I was astonished by the Catania judge's ruling, which, onincredible grounds... freed an illegal immigrant who had alreadyreceived a deportation order, unilaterally declaring Tunisia anunsafe country (which is not the judiciary's job) and goingagainst the measures of a democratically elected government,"Meloni said in a social-media post.
   "It is not the first time this has happened but we will continueto defend the borders (of Italy)". She said the government was faced with a "difficult job" totackle illegal immigration but said its efforts would "bringconcrete results, with patience and determination.
   "Of course, everything becomes much more difficult if, in themeantime, other States are working in the diametrically oppositedirection, and if part of Italy is doing everything it can tofavour illegal immigration," she continued.
   Meloni's government is currently engaged in a row with Berlinover th German government's decision to fund NGOs operatingmigrant-rescue operations in the Mediterranean. (ANSA).