Meloni’s comments came after saying on Tuesday that she received notification she is under investigation over a Libyan police official who was sent back home from Italy after being detained on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.

“Our commitment to defend Italy will continue, as always, with determination and without hesitation,” Meloni said via social media.

“When the security of the nation and the interests of Italians are at stake, there is no room for steps backward,” she added, vowing to go “straight on”.

Libyan judicial police commander Najeem Osema Almasri Habish, wanted for war crimes by the ICC and arrested in Italy this month, was released on a technicality and flown back to Tripoli to a hero’s welcome aboard an Italian secret service plane.

Meloni said she had received notice of a probe into possible aiding and abetting and embezzlement of public funds from a prosecutor, Francesco Lo Voi.

Lo Voi unsuccessfully prosecuted Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini for allegedly abducting migrants as part of his closed ports policy to migrant rescue ships as interior minister in 2019.

Meloni said the same notice of investigation had been sent to Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and cabinet secretary with the intelligence brief Alfredo Mantovano.

The ICC has demanded an explanation of the release of Almasri, wanted on charges of alleged rape, murder and brutalising migrants in a Tripoli jail.

Magistrates union ANM said the notification sent to Meloni was a formality that prosecutors were obligated to carry out after a lawyer filed a complaint over the Almasri case.

They added that it would be up to the court of ministries to decide whether to pursue it or shelve it.

It said the notification was necessary so the parties concerned could get legal counsel.

ANSA