ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Relations with Italy are “currently the most intense we have compared to any other country in the European Union”. This was stated by the President of the Slovak Parliament (National Council), Richard Rasi, interviewed by the Italpress agency. Rasi concludes today a two-day visit to Rome, where he had a series of institutional meetings and attended the Italian-Slovacchia entrepreneurial Forum. Rasi finally participated in the solemn reception organized at Palazzo Wedekind by the Slovak embassy on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of the country. “The reason for my visit is very practical, because I came together with a group of entrepreneurs. Yesterday we opened the Business Forum on business opportunities, dedicated above all to projects concerning green construction and sustainable tourism. The second reason was the celebration for the 33rd anniversary of the independence of Slovakia, therefore a celebration. And then the third reason, the most important, was to make progress increasingly on parliamentary diplomacy, parliamentary relations between Italy and Slovakia,” Rasi said. Bilateral relations celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2023, while 2025 was marked by a series of institutional visits to the highest levels. “The relations with Italy are currently the most intense we have compared to any other country in the European Union,” said the President of the Parliament of Bratislava. “Italy is a strategic partner for Slovakia: last year was here three times our President of the Republic, here was also the Prime Minister, as well as most ministers. This has led to results in the form of cooperation agreements, even commercial agreements. You are a strategic economic partner, there are 400 Italian companies operating in Slovakia”, he continued. According to Rasi, an important part of political cooperation is represented by the interparliamentary framework. “At present the European Union struggles to compete and defend itself against the world’s great economic powers. And this is precisely the moment when Parliaments play an increasingly important role, so that measures, laws, will be taken to bring Europe back to its place, so that it can be appreciated as a great economic actor,” Rasi noted. “I am here to find solutions to our common problems together with Italian colleagues, for example in the field of immigration, security, energy independence and also artificial intelligence, which especially concerns our children. For this reason I also want to strengthen parliamentary cooperation for youth programmes,” said the President of the Slovak National Council. Regarding future projects, “an area of work will be represented by the parliamentary initiative on national interests within the European Union,” he explained.
“ Slovakia, starting from July 1st, will have the chairmanship of the Visegrad Group, that is the quartet that includes Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and we want to invite Italy to speak. With this training we will come to represent 130 million Europeans and we could certainly have more voice to reaffirm our interests. And then, as I said, we want to strengthen parliamentary cooperation especially for young people, with exchange programmes: for young people interested in politics, for young Slovaks who can come to Italy and vice versa Italians in Slovakia, also with a view to cultural exchange. Finally, we want to collaborate also to strengthen tourism, because this year, for example, from the airport of Bratislava there will be seven new flights to Italy”, concluded the president of the National Council.
(ITAL)PRESS).
-Foto Italpress-
President of the Slovak Parliament “With Italy the most intense relations in the EU”
