Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In the past month, the Italian Government had to handle the news of PM Meloni under investigation, severe train circulation issues, and the possibility of the resignation of Minister of Tourism Santanché.
Meloni under investigation
On January 29, 2025, Italian Prime Minister PLACEHOLDER107879e866b84418 posted a PLACEHOLDER443be4a505729199 on her social media. Preceding any newspaper, she broke the news of an investigation in which she is accused of aiding and abetting a crime and embezzlement in connection with the repatriation of Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, the Libyan chief of judiciary police.
The Libyan chief of judiciary police, Najim, also known as Almasri, was arrested in Turin and sent back to Tripoli by the Italian authorities despite being wanted by the ICC (International Criminal Court) for multiple human rights violations.
Rome prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi aims to address the controversies and grey areas of the release of Almasri. Also under investigation are Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and Alfredo Mantovano, undersecretary of state for intelligence affairs.
I think that it is true today what it was true yesterday: I am not blackmailable, I am not intimidated it is possible that because of this I am invisible to those who do not want Italy to change, to become better, but also and above all, because of this, I intend to go on my way to defend Italians, especially when the security of the nation is at stake,
says the Prime Minister in the video, suggesting that this investigation is a personal attack on her government.
A plot to sabotage national railways?
During January 2025, there were PLACEHOLDERa17cb5d24aaec8cb train breakdowns and delays in Italy. According to PLACEHOLDER22e3d1941f48f749, Italian Minister of Infrastructures and Transport, and the National Railway Group, such disruptions happened under “highly suspicious circumstances.” Both claim these events are likely attempts to attack the government rather than malfunctions under the National Railway’s responsibility.
National media raised concerns over the reliability of these accusations due to a lack of concrete proof. The report by the National Railway Group does not go into detail on the proof they have or how their investigation was conducted.
“I’m going to be very clear: a great country like Italy does not get intimidated, and it never will,” said Minister of Transport Salvini in the House. “After a proper investigation in the past few weeks, we have a full picture of arson, explosions, breakdowns, ruptures, and electrical problems—incidents that occurred regularly until, coincidentally enough, the National Railway report was published.”
Matteo Salvini, Minister of Infrastructures and Transport of Italy. Credit: Alessandro Gentile, CNN
Elly Schlein, leader of the opposition and the Democratic Party, attacked both Salvini and Meloni, saying they owe Italians an apology for the poor national transport service. “We are tired of your empty propaganda,” said the MP, calling for immediate accountability and restorative actions.
The Minister of Tourism under investigation
Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanché, a member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, is involved in multiple judicial matters.
On January 17, 2025, the Court of Milan announced the beginning of the judicial process against Minister Santanché. She is accused of false accounting for the editorial company Visibilia Editore, where she was President and CEO before joining Meloni’s government in 2022. She allegedly rigged the budgets between 2016 and 2022 to
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