Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni will on Thursday in Rome meet the relatives of victims and survivors of the migrant shipwreck off the Calabrian town of Cutro, in which at least 86 people died, her office confirmed.
Italy's authorities have been accused of not doing enough to try and save people aboard the boat on the night of the shipwreck on 26 February - charges which Meloni's rightwing government rejects.
During question time in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday, Meloni said she and her government were facing cruel and unfounded accusations over the Cutro shipwreck and other boat migrant tragedies.
"For political ends, the honour and work of those who risk their lives daily to save others has been called into question and Italy gets slandered...but our conscience is clear," Meloni said.
After a cabinet meeting in Cutro on 9 March, Meloni announced her intention to meet relatives of the shipwreck victims, who included 35 minors, 25 of them under the age of 12.
At least 16 people are still missing, feared dead, after the flimsy migrant boat broke up in rough seas. Eighty people survived the disaster.
