ROME -- Ilaria Salis, recently elected to the European Parliament, has returned to Italy after being released by Hungarian authorities, her father has said.. 

  Salis was arrested in Budapest in 2023, accused of attacking three neo-Nazis who participated in the “Day of Honour”. After winning 176,000 votes in the European Elections , the Hungarian judge suspended Salis’ trial, which could have landed her 24 years behind bars. On Saturday she returned to her parents’ house in Monza, after being under house arrest in Budapest since May 23. 

  Elected with the Green Left Alliance in the European elections, Salis was expected to attend the Italian Left Party in Milan via video call. However, despite last-minute confirmations, the MEP did not attend, with orrganisers explaining that Salis was “not in a position to participate”. 

  Salis’ father, Roberto, has formally resigned from his role as the MEP’s spokesperson. “Yesterday during a live television broadcast, amidst the assault we suffered from journalists outside our house, I irrevocably resigned from my role as Ilaria’s spokesperson and as a candidate against third parties.” 

  “It was a beautiful experience but now Ilaria must speak, you must ask Ilaria what she wants to do, I believe in the next few days she will start her communication campaign in her role,” he added. 

  “This is part of the political struggle process of fascism: the fascists have always done this, when they have a political opponent, they must try to demolish them. They did so with Gobetti, with Gramsci with Matteotti. We need to look ahead and be strong, I am now the subject of a total shitstorm, but I am happy to be the lightning conductor because maybe this will let Ilaria work more calmly.” 

lw