Italy's Salvini defends himself from possible charges

MILAN: Italy's interior minister has written a letter to leading daily Corriere della Sera saying the country's Senate should not approve a judicial request to try him for not allowing 177 migrants off an Italian coast guard ship last August.

Matteo Salvini said in the letter published Tuesday that the accusations are "strictly related to activity as interior minister and to the firm desire to maintain election campaign promises."

Prosecutors have declined to press charges for kidnapping and abuse of office, saying Salvini was enacting government policy beyond the scope of the courts

But a judicial review body ruled otherwise, and has asked the Senate, where Salvini has a seat, to allow the case to procced.

The migrants were allowed to disembark after five days.