ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “The further intensification of parliamentary, economic and political cooperation” between Italy and Serbia was at the centre of yesterday’s visit to Rome by the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic. She met, among others, the President of the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Commission, Giulio Tremonti, the President of the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Commission, Stefania Craxi, and the Speaker of Parliament, Lorenzo Fontana.
“It was a very positive visit,” declared Branbic in an interview with Italpress. During the meeting with Fontana, “we agreed that, on strengthening further our parliamentary relations.” However, she emphasized the need “to continue the cooperation between the Commission for European Integration of the National Assembly and the Parliamentary Commission for European Policies, as well as dialogue within the parliamentary dimension of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and other organizations”.
A joint session of the Italian and Serbian governments is scheduled for early 2025, “and it will have to be accompanied by a clear message of parliamentary collaboration,” explained Brnabic. “I invited Fontana to visit Belgrade for that occasion and sign a holistic agreement on parliamentary cooperation”.
On the current relations between Rome and Belgrade, the President of the Serbian Parliament was 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 giving results. We have never had such close relationships, and we want them to be even better in the future”.
Branbic spoke about the possibility of cooperation at the academic level. “I spoke in Rome with the deputy rector of the University Luiss Guido Carli, Antonio Majocchi, about the University’s potential collaboration with our country”.
She described Italy as one of Serbiàs main trading partners for years. “I spoke about this in a meeting with representatives of Confindustria, who told us that they have excellent feedback on Serbia from their members, which is an excellent signal for all future investors”.
About the negotiations for Serbiàs accession to the European Union, she hopes that the process will lead to the third negotiation cluster on competitiveness and inclusive growth.
The President of the National Assembly of Serbia thanked Italy which, together with Hungary, is the most inclined towards European integration of Serbia, demonstrating this 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 this is realistic, because there are member states that are skeptical about this, but I think it is important that citizens know that this is the position of Italy. Communicating this position clearly and unequivocally in all offices of the European Union. Italy is therefore a great friend of Serbia. Day after day the friendship between the two countries grows stronger”, concluded Branbic.
– Photo Camera dei Deputati –
(ITALPRESS).
