Italy Ordered to Compensate Migrants Stranded at Sea in 2018

The Court of Cassation ruled against the government, overturning earlier decisions and sparking criticism from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy PM Matteo Salvini.

• Italy's highest appeals court has ruled that the government must compensate Eritrean migrants stranded for 10 days on a coast guard vessel in 2018 due to Matteo Salvini's anti-migration policies.
• The Court of Cassation overturned previous rulings and sent the case to a lower court to determine the exact amount of compensation owed to the migrants.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the decision as 'frustrating,' arguing it misuses taxpayer money and undermines public trust in institutions.
• Deputy Prime Minister Salvini, who was interior minister at the time, called the ruling 'absurd,' defending his actions as necessary to protect Italy's borders.
• The ruling adds to ongoing tensions between the Meloni government and the judiciary, as the administration pursues controversial reforms and faces legal challenges to its migration policies.

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