The Roman government wanted to place the woman under house arrest.

Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio expressed his satisfaction at the news of Ilaria Salis, detained in Hungary, being placed under house arrest in the lower house of the Roman Parliament, where the antifa activist's case and her nomination in the European Parliament elections were discussed on Wednesday.

Carlo Nordio was just responding to interpellations in the House of Representatives when the news arrived that the Metropolitan Court of Appeals had terminated the arrest of the prime suspect in the case of the far-left attackers.

The Italian citizen who was taken into custody in Budapest last February and then placed under arrest must post HUF 16 million bail and will remain under criminal supervision under house arrest.

The Italian Minister of Justice expressed his satisfaction. The news was greeted with applause by the representatives of the Roman Parliament.

According to lawyer Carlo Nordio's interpretation, Ilaria Salis will have to spend her house arrest in Hungary for the time being, her transfer to Italy is not automatic. He could return to Italy to serve his sentence if it was not a pre-trial detention, but a sentence.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also stated in the House of Representatives that the Roman government wanted to place the woman under house arrest.

Until he is sentenced, I believe that he can prove his innocence and that he can return to Italy as soon as possible, Antonio Tajani said. He believed that the house arrest of Ilaria Salis was the result of the work of the Roman government and the Italian embassy in Budapest, which "worked quietly, without propaganda, without drumming, as we do for all Italian citizens in a similar situation".

Antonio Tajani added that the lawyers must apply for Ilaria Salis' possible house arrest in Italy from the Hungarian court.

The woman's father, Roberto Salis, expressed his joy to the TG1 public television news station on Wednesday evening, stating that Ilaria is "undoubtedly facing a political trial, which is why a strong political response to the intolerable situation had to be given".

He hinted that his daughter is running as the leading candidate in the June European Parliament elections for the Greens and the Alliance of the Italian Left (AVS).

Roberto Salis said he is traveling Italy on a campaign tour in place of his daughter and is getting "good feedback", which makes him optimistic about his daughter's entry into the European Parliament.

He emphasized that part of the 16 million forints required for the bail, which corresponds to slightly more than forty thousand euros, will be covered by his own efforts, while the other part will be covered by donations. The father said they want to pay as quickly as possible so that Ilaria Salis can leave prison "within hours."

In the evening program of the commercial television channel La7, the father added that the next step is to ensure that the woman can spend her house arrest in Italy. He believed that if his daughter is elected in June, house arrest will no longer be necessary, as she will enjoy immunity as a member of the European Parliament.

AVS representative Marco Grimaldi stated in his speech in the House of Representatives: it is not the Roman government's credit, but the AVS's that it was possible to obtain the authorization of house arrest after nearly a year. Ilaria Salis "has the right to a fair trial, and until now Hungary has denied her with the treatment and handcuffs," said Marco Grimaldi.

The left-wing politician believed that while the right-wing government in Rome "asked for silence, (the left) responded with even more noise: it has been proven that we must not remain silent and we will not stop until Ilaria Salis returns home to Italy".

Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League, commented on the Salis case at an election campaign event. He expressed his satisfaction with the authorization of house arrest, but he expressed reservations about the fact that the left wants to represent Italy in Europe with a woman accused of "committing serious violence".

MTI

Cover photo: Ilaria Salis in the Hungarian court
Source: Magyar Nemzet/Máté Bach