In one of the most monumental bureaucratic snafu’s in recorded memory, the Italian government have caused a fit of emotional trauma in Brussels, as Eurocrats panic at the prospect of a Russian state visit to one of the continent’s most important the G7 nations.
Local reports have confirmed this week that Italy’s country’s Court of Appeal reportedly ‘never processed the document’ – which means, at present, the ICC arrest warrant has been rendered unenforceable in the event the Russia President decides to visit the European Union and NATO member state.
This story is still developing…
IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
RT International reports…
Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be at risk of being arrested in Italy under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, as officials never completed the procedures required to make it valid, local media have reported.
In 2023, the Hague-based ICC issued arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of children from former Ukrainian territories.
One year later, the ICC issued additional warrants for senior Russian military commanders, including former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of attacking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
Moscow, which does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, has denied both accusations and declared the warrants null and void.
While Rome has committed to complying with ICC rulings, the warrants for Russian officials “are not actually effective in Italy at this time,” La Repubblica reported on Thursday. It explained that the Justice Ministry had never sent the warrant to the Court of Appeal in Rome, and therefore the documentation needed for the arrest to be conducted was never received.
SEE ALSO: ICC Putin Arrest Warrant Based on Debunked U.S. State Dept-funded ‘Human Rights’ Report
Corriere della Sera also confirmed the report, saying the court’s failure to sign off on the warrant “transformed it into a piece of paper with no effect.”
The decision not to file the paperwork to enforce the warrant is not likely to have been an oversight or a coincidence, La Repubblica said, suggesting that it was a “political choice.” Corriere della Sera agreed, noting that the warrants for the Russian commanders were also not processed, making them invalid as well.
Corriere della Sera claimed that the decision was due to the Italian government’s position that heads of state and government are protected from prosecution. However, diplomatic immunity does not apply to the other Russian officials mentioned in the ICC warrants.
Nevertheless, neither the Russian president nor other officials and commanders are likely to travel to Italy, as some of them are subject to personal EU sanctions. Despite this, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova is set to travel to Italy to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, according to the Kremlin.
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