ROME (ITALPRESS) – “The further intensification of parliamentary, economic and political cooperation” between Italy and Serbia was the focus of a visit to Rome yesterday by Serbian National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic. She met among others with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Giulio Tremonti, Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Stefania Craxi, and House Speaker Lorenzo Fontana. “It was a very positive visit indeed,” Branbic says in an interview with Italpress.In detail, during the meeting with Fontana “we agreed that for the further strengthening of our parliamentary relations, it would be useful to continue the cooperation between the Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly and the Committee on European Policies of the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the dialogue within the parliamentary dimension of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the Interparliamentary Union and other organizations,” the Serbian Parliament Speaker stresses.A joint session of the Italian and Serbian governments is scheduled for early 2025, “and it should be accompanied by a clear message of parliamentary cooperation,” Brnabic explains. “I have invited Fontana to come to Belgrade on that occasion and sign a comprehensive agreement on parliamentary cooperation.On the current relations between Rome and Belgrade, the Serbian Parliament Speaker’s assessment is very positive: “My general impression is that all the work and efforts of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, in building good relations with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the work of the Serbian government and Parliament, is really paying off. We have never had such close relations, and we want them to be even better in the future. “One front for new dialogue may be academia. “I spoke in Rome with the pro-rector of the Luiss “Guido Carli” University for Internationalization, Antonio Majocchi, about the University’s potential cooperation with our country,” Brnabic says.Italy has been one of Serbia’s main trading partners for years, and I spoke about this in a meeting with representatives of Confindustria, who told us that they have very good feedback on Serbia from their members is a very good signal for all future investors.On the front of negotiations for Serbia’s accession to the European Union, “I hope that we will finally open cluster 3 (the one related to ‘competitiveness and inclusive growth, ed.),” the Serbian Parliament Speaker explained. I also have to thank Italy, which, together with Hungary, is the most inclined to Serbia’s European integration, demonstrating it directly and proactively. Italy is even of the opinion that Serbia should have a place in the European Union even before 2030. I don’t think that’s realistic, because there are member states that are skeptical about this, but I think it’s important for people to know that this is Italy’s position. It communicates this position clearly and unequivocally in all EU fora. Italy is therefore a great friend of Serbia. Day by day the friendship between the two countries is getting stronger,” Branbic concludes.
– Photos House of Representatives –
(ITALPRESS).
