Patrick Zaki is finally leaving for Italy, in mid-morning he entered Terminal 3 of Cairo airport to board an Egyptair flight to Milan. “I am happy to be on the way to Italy. Thanks to Bologna, thanks to everyone, thanks to the Italians who have worked in these three years to reach this moment”, were his first words addressed to the media on the spot, including many Italian newspapers.
The long-awaited thanksgiving
Immediately after another thank you that should turn off the controversy over an alleged lack of recognition of the young Egyptian. “Thanks to the Italian government for what they have done in the last few days, I truly appreciate everything they have done. Thanks also to the Italian diplomacy in Egypt“, he added, quoting the Italian Ambassador in Cairo, Michele Quaroni, and the adviser Marco Cardoni.
The yellow of the revocation of the ban on expatriation
Around 12, Zaki passed passport control and it is therefore confirmed that he obtained the revocation of the ban on expatriation at noon today. “Done”, he limited himself to replying with a message to Ansa when asked if he had already gone through passport control at Cairo airport. This was, in fact, a very important step for the real success of the trip. “Wish me luck, I hope to be there in a few hours”, Patrick said at the Cairo airport together with his girlfriend Rény Iskander and his sister Marise. Greeting them outside Terminal 3 were their mother, Mrs. Hala, visibly moved, and their father George.
Patrick Zaki at Cairo airport on his way to Italy (Ansa)
The “good luck” that the Egyptian researcher wished for himself was implicitly but clearly linked to the fact that the revocation of his travel ban had to be formalized only today at noon Egyptian time, therefore less than two hours before the scheduled take-off at 1.55pm (12.55pm in Italy). with an Egyptair flight to Milan Malpensa. Yesterday one of his lawyers had reminded him that the only way to ensure the revocation of a ban on expatriation in Egypt is to make an attempt to go through passport control with a plane ticket, as Patrick did later.
Tajani: “We will continue to work for Regeni”
The controversy over Zaki’s alleged lack of recognition is due to the fact that the young researcher, now a graduate, refused a state flight to return to Italy. Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed themselves directly on the issue, who today returned to the issue during the Conference on Migrations: interviewed by Press the minister spoke of the release of Patrick Zaki and of aid to Egypt to face the food crisis, which “go hand in hand. We have economic interests in Egypt, but this does not exempt us from adopting some diplomatic initiatives, as was done for Zaki and as is being done for Regeni“. “In both cases – adds Tajani – Al Sisi has repeatedly assured Italy of collaboration and support to arrive at a solution. On one of the two a result was obtained with diplomatic activity, without clamor, without insults. We will continue to do the same for Regeni“.
Waiting in Bologna
Zaki’s return is scheduled on the Egyptair flight at 13.55 which lands at Malpensa at 16.50. Then a three-hour drive to Bologna in the company of the rector of the University of Bologna Giovanni Molari and the professor-mentor Rita Monticelli, who will be waiting for him at the Milanese airport. “We have been waiting for it for three years, it will be a very beautiful moment. I am waiting for it, but above all the entire community of the Alma Mater is waiting for it”, said Molari. “After seeing silhouettes of Patrick around the city, being able to hug him will be exciting“, he stressed.