Matteo Salvini: Italian deputy PM takes stand in migrant kidnap trial - BBC News

Matteo Salvini said he acted 'in the national interest' by banning a rescue ship from docking in Italy.

21 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Matteo Salvini was interior minister when prevented the 147 migrants rescued by an NGO ship from disembarking in ItalyBy Laura GozziBBC NewsItalian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has defended his hard-line approach against illegal migration during a court appearance in Sicily.

He is facing kidnap and dereliction of duty charges for preventing migrants from disembarking an NGO ship in 2019.

He has denied the charges, saying he acted "in the interest of national security".

At the time, Mr Salvini - the leader of the right-wing League - was interior minister in a previous government.

Ahead of his court appearance, Mr Salvini said on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "holding his head high, proud of what I did".

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