“It is a great joy for Bologna, I hope it means embracing him soon and having him back in the city,” said Lepore of the Bologna University alumnus.
Zaki was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly spreading fake news by a Mansoura court on Tuesday before being pardoned.
The mayor also thanked “all the activists who have worked for Patrick Zaki: Amnesty, the rector, Professor Rita Monticelli, the successive governments and also this last government, which has dialogued with Egypt”.
“I will stop here for now. We are waiting for more news and we hope that Patrick can leave the country so we can have him here.
“I want to repeat that it is a great joy for Bologna,” he concluded.
Bologna university rector Giovanni Molari said the news of the presidential pardon “fills us with joy”.
“After yesterday’s anguish, it is a moment of unexpected relief and great happiness for the entire Alma Mater,” added Molari.
“We hope this is the end of more than three years of waiting and disappointed hopes.
“We are waiting to know the details, but we are confident that the moment we have been waiting for for so long will soon arrive.
“To welcome Patrick back to Bologna, to his university, and to give him a big graduation party that will ideally be a party for the whole city and the whole country.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also joined the chorus of gratitude.
“Tomorrow Patrick Zaki will be in Italy, and I wish him from the bottom of my heart a life of serenity and success,” Meloni said in a video message on Wednesday evening.
“I want to thank [Egyptian] President Al Sisi for this very important gesture,” continued Meloni.
“Ever since our first meeting last November, I have never stopped raising the issue, and I have always found him to be attentive and helpful.
“And I want to thank the intelligence (services) and diplomats, both Italian and Egyptian, who in recent months have never stopped working to achieve the desired solution.”
Bologna Archbishop Cardinal Matteo Zuppi too expressed his joy “for the announced forthcoming release of the young man”.
Zuppi, who is currently visiting Washington as the Pope’s envoy on Ukraine, said he hoped to be able to meet Zaki soon “to rejoice with him and share faith and hope”.
ANSA
