Fiasco in front of the cameras for the Italian sovereignist leader Matteo Salvini, sharply reprimanded this Tuesday in Poland by the mayor of a border town of Ukraine.
The latter indeed reproached him for his past as a fan of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We want to express our deep esteem for all the Italian organizations, all the companies in Italy that support us”, began by saying the mayor of the town of Przemysl in front of the local station, in the presence of the boss of the League, who officially came in Poland supporting efforts to help Ukrainian refugees.
“At the same time, we have a personal remark addressed to Senator Salvini. I have a gift for you here,” continued Wojciech Bakun, brandishing a flocked T-shirt representing the face of Vladimir Putin and on which one could read inscribed in Russian: “Army of Putin”.
(Per quelli che “ma è vero?”)
Ricevo questo video e pubblico #bakunsindaco di Przemysl:
“#Salvini io non al ricevo. Venga con me al confine a condannare #Putin” #UkraineRussianWar pic.twitter.com/it42BQaKPH
— Simone Alliva (@SimoneAlliva) March 8, 2022
“Jester, go home”
Matteo Salvini then slipped away. “Sorry, sorry… we help refugees,” he said.
At the same time, an Italian photographer insulted him: “Jester”, “Clown”, “Go home”, he shouted.
Matteo Salvini has drawn a barrage of criticism since Russian troops invaded Ukraine at the end of February, due to his openly assumed admiration for the Russian president for years.
“Men like him, who have the interest of their own citizens at heart, would need dozens” in Italy, he had thus estimated.
He has also worn Putin T-shirts on several occasions, including in the European Parliament.