ROME -- Italy has sent the first strong signal to Egypt over their dissatisfaction at the lack of cooperation from the Egyptians in relation to the Giulio Regeni, a young Italian student and researcher who was brutally tortured and murdered in Cairo in February, case, as they blocked the supply of new parts to repair the North African country’s F-16 fighters.

 The motion was granted by the Italian Senate, with 159 votes for, 55 against and 17 abstentions, after a long and heated debate.  The modification to the contract, is considered to be a strong signal from the Italian parliament, and a way of “continuing to hold on under the pressure of public opinion and also from Egypt over the Regeni case,” according to democratic member of parliament Gian Carlo Sangalli.

 The Forza Italia party leader Paolo Romani argued against the move saying, “What we are writing is one of the worst pages of history of this parliament.  I’m ashamed to be part of a parliament that would do such a thing, you are dishonest, it’s incomprehensible, foreign policy is not done like this.”

 The president of the Defence Commission Nicola Latorre, however, said, “It’s the first time that we, as a parliament, have the opportunity to take the initiative to demonstrate the need to step up to the truth,” about the Regeni case.  “What we do is an act to stimulate this, without compromising our relations,” he continued.

 ch