ROME — A judge in Milan has ordered Italy’s tourism minister, Daniela Santanche, to face trial on charges of falsifying accounts related to her previous publishing business, according to her attorney.

On Friday, Santanche was one of 17 individuals indicted for allegedly misrepresenting financial information. Alongside her, her partner Dimitri Kunz and her sister Fiorella Garnero were also named in the charges.

Prior to her appointment as minister in 2022, Santanche had already stepped down from her responsibilities at Visibilia, the publishing company at the center of the allegations. She firmly denies any accusations of misconduct.

Her lawyer, Nicolo Pelanda, expressed disappointment over the court’s decision but noted it was anticipated. He remains confident that the judicial process will ultimately vindicate Santanche.

According to the Milan prosecutors, Santanche and her co-defendants allegedly manipulated financial documents within the Visibilia publishing and advertising entity over a span from 2016 to 2022.

At 63 years old, Santanche serves as a member of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party. She previously managed to overcome a no-confidence motion in the Senate, which arose from claims regarding her former company’s failure to fulfill financial obligations to suppliers and laying off employees without providing proper redundancy payments.

In her defense before lawmakers, Santanche declared her innocence and reaffirmed her commitment to clearing her name of the allegations.

This upcoming trial could pose additional challenges for Meloni, who has been steadfast in her support of Santanche amidst ongoing demands from the opposition for her resignation due to these issues.