**Italian President Criticizes Elon Musk for Comments on Migration Policy**

ROME — Italian President Sergio Mattarella issued a strong criticism towards Elon Musk on Wednesday, following the tech mogul’s remarks about Italian court rulings that have obstructed government efforts to handle certain asylum-seekers in Albania. Musk, who is expected to play a significant advisory role in Donald Trump's upcoming administration, expressed his disapproval on X, stating that the judges involved should be removed from their positions. His comments were in response to the Italian court's decision against right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni’s plan to process migrants in Albania.

In his initial post on Tuesday, Musk commented, "These judges need to go." He followed up with another post on Wednesday questioning the democratic process in Italy, writing, "This is unacceptable. Do the people of Italy live in a democracy or does an unelected autocracy make the decisions?"

The issue at hand stemmed from a Rome court's refusal to authorize the detention of seven migrants who were rescued at sea and later transferred to Albania for processing. This court decision led to the migrants being sent to Italy instead. It was the second legal blow for Meloni's proposal to transfer some asylum-seekers to Albania for processing.

Though Mattarella did not explicitly name Musk, his statement on Wednesday, notable for its sharp tone, made it clear that Musk was the intended recipient of his message. Mattarella emphasized the need for respect for Italy's sovereignty, particularly from those soon to assume significant government roles in allied nations. In his statement, Mattarella asserted, "Italy is a great democratic country and... knows how to take care of itself while respecting its Constitution." He further noted, "Anyone, particularly if as announced is about to assume an important role of government in a friendly and allied country, must respect its sovereignty and cannot attribute to himself the task of imparting prescriptions."

The controversy comes in the wake of Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that Musk would be instrumental in leading a new Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at reducing waste and fraud. Musk, who has shown support for Meloni and met her on several occasions, has also been known for his provocative social media presence, previously clashing with leaders from the UK, Brazil, and Venezuela.

The Italian court rulings have agitated Meloni's government, which aims to mitigate the pressures of migrant arrivals by using Albania as a processing hub. The courts referred these cases to the EU Court of Justice to determine if the migrants’ countries of origin are safe for repatriation, though no timeline for a decision has been provided.

To date, not a single migrant has been processed within the Albanian centers, which were budgeted to cost Italy 670 million euros over five years. Critics from Italy’s opposition and human rights groups argue that resources could be better utilized within Italian-operated centers and that the outsourcing plan violates international law. Despite these setbacks, the Albanian centers, which opened in October after delays, continue to face scrutiny and operational challenges.