Italy's Court Rules to Seize Lega Party Funds in Founder's Fraud Case - Reports

14:35 GMT, 6 September 2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A court in Italy's Genoa on Thursday upheld the prosecutors' decision to seize funds of the right-wing Lega party, which is part of the ruling coalition, in connection to its founder Umberto Bossi's fraud case, the Ansa news agency reported.

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Around 3 million euros (roughly $3.4 million) have already been confiscated from Lega party accounts, with its treasury currently holding about 5 million euros, according to the local media.

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who became head of the right-wing party in 2013, said he was not worried about the ruling, calling it "a past affair."

"I'm tranquil. The lawyers will make their decisions. If they want to take everything from us, they can go ahead. The Italian people are with us," Salvini said, as quoted by the agency.

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Last year, Bossi was convicted of using public funds for personal expenses during his time as head of the Lega party. He was sentenced to over two years in prison.

Salvini was appointed Italy’s deputy prime minister earlier this year, several months after his party received a large chunk of the vote in March’s general election, with President Sergio Mattarella struggling to form a government.