PM: Serbia enjoys great support from Italy

PM: Serbia enjoys great support from Italy

He stressed that he would not be begging the EU to open negotiating chapters with Serbia.

We are very grateful for the way in which Italy is supporting us, but we are not begging anybody for anything, and we are not angry at anybody, not even at those who sometimes perhaps ask more from Serbia than what is possible, and we believe that our reforms will produce results, Vucic told a press conference.

EU presidency holder Italy requested that chapters in accession negotiations with Serbia be opened by the end of the year, said the Serbian prime minister. It passed a resolution in its national parliament and will show a clear support for Serbia’s European path in the European Parliament.

Vucic said that his talks with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had been excellent and had focused on Serbia’s future in the EU and bilateral relations.

Italy is Serbia’s biggest trade partner, with the trade totaling EUR 3.567 billion.

We expect to improve the trade figures in the future. I think we have a good chance. We agreed for Matteo Renzi visit to Belgrade in April, and we (Serbia) will be at the EXPO in Milan in May. We will be strengthening relations and bringing the two countries closer together, said Vucic.

Vucic said he also had talks with Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, and with representatives of Italian companies.

Ferrero and Cremonini are coming to Serbia, Geox is already present, and its factory with 1,200 employees in Vranje should start production this year. Everything is on track, all is functioning well. I expect a large number of businessmen to come to Belgrade together with Renzi, Vucic added.

The discussion aslo touched on the South Stream pipeline project, said Vucic.

We talked about how to find a solution for the future when it comes to energy security. Renzi spoke about the way Italy saw the situation, and we have to make estimates and find the most economical solution for Serbia. Serbia and Hungary seem to be in the most difficult position but we will find a solution and our citizens should not worry about it, Vucic said.

According to a release from the Serbian government’s media relations office, the Italian prime minister stressed that Italy found its relationship with Serbia to be very important and that Italy would be Serbia’s most important partner on the road to the EU.

Renzi said that economic cooperation between the two countries was of great significance and proposed holding a business forum in Belgrade in April 2015.

The Italian prime minister called on Serbian companies to come to the EXPO 2015 in Milan in May in great numbers, the release said.