The Italian state is determined to see "significant progress" in the long-running investigation into the brutal 2016 killing of PhD student Giulio Regeni in Egypt, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio told lawmakers on Wednesday.
"Italy's government and institutions are continuing to demand justice from Egyptian authorities and want real, effective cooperation," Di Maio said during questioning by MPs on a planned 1.2 billion euro naval frigate sale to Egypt.
It is believed that 28-year-old Regeni was abducted in late January 2016 and killed days later by the Egyptian secret services for his contacts with trade unions and anti-government organisations. Egypt's government robustly denies involvement in Regeni's murder.
"The Italian public strongly desires that the truth be disclosed," Di Maio stated.
"After about a year of silence," Italian authorities will strive to arrange a meeting between ltalian and Egyptian prosecutors, Di Maio added.
The centre-left Italian government is facing a backlash over the planned sale to Egypt of the two Fremm-class frigates given the lack of progress in the probe into Regeni's killing during which no one has been charged.
Rome prosecutors last year named five Egyptian security service members they believe were involved in Regeni's murder
A parliamentary commission set up in December to review the Regeni case “urgently” summoned Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte in recent days, with the chair of the commission Erasmo Palazzotto stating that the frigate sale "betrays the promises made to the Regeni family.”
Regeni’s parents also condemned the deal.
