Marine Salvatore Girone will return
to Italy Saturday afternoon after Thursday's green light from
the Indian supreme court, ANSA learned Friday.
Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Defence Minister
Roberta Pinotti will welcome him home at Ciampino Airport.
Earlier Friday Girone - accused with fellow marine Massimilano
Latorre of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012 - filed the last
papers needed to leave India.
An international tribunal of arbitration in The Hague
earlier this year ruled that Girone could join Latorre in Italy
for the duration of the arbitration, which is expected to end in
late 2018.
Girone's wife, Vanna Arditi, told ANSA earlier "it's been
tough but it's about to end", saying she was looking forward to
doing routine family things together "like taking the kids to
school".
Girone will be coming back with his golden retriever Argo,
given to him by his family when Latorre left Italy on sick leave
two years ago.
The Indian Supreme Court on Thursday decided to render
executive with immediate effect the Hague arbitration tribunal's
order for Girone to be allowed to return to Italy for the
duration of the arbitration procedure.
New Delhi allowed Latorre to return to Italy after he had
a stroke in 2014.
Premier Matteo Renzi expressed satisfaction with the
Indian Supreme Court's decision.
"We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its
government," Renzi said via his Twitter account.
"And we welcome marine Girone, who will be with us on June
2".
June 2 is Italy's Republic Day national holiday, when
there is a big military parade in Rome.
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