Serbian FM meets with Friuli-Venezia president

Serbian FM meets with Friuli-Venezia president

Dačić "thanked Italy on the humanitarian assistance it sent to Serbia for the flood-affected areas, and on the donation of the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia for the reconstruction of the Orthodox church of St. Spyridon in Trieste."

He stated that Serbia is interested in re-introducing flights between Belgrade and Trieste.

Serracchiani stated that during its six-month presidency over the EU, Italy will try to improve relations between the EU and Serbia.

She underlined that Italy intends to promote constructive dialogue between the EU and Russia regarding the construction of South Stream, respecting European rules.

The agreement was reached to renew the Memorandum of understanding between Serbia and the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

"Favorable"

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić met with Debora Serracchiani on Tuesday, and expressed "satisfaction about relations between Serbia and Italy being at a very high level."

During the meeting, held in Belgrade on Tuesday, Nikolić pointed out that the task was to further strengthen bilateral relations, especially economic cooperation.

“The reforms we have started are to show that Serbia is favorable for investment and a reliable partner for supply of products to third markets,” Nikolić said.

Serracchiani agreed with Nikolić about numerous opportunities existing to improve cooperation between Italy and Serbia, stressing that her region was particularly interested in expanding cooperation in the areas of transportation and energy and between scientific research centers.

The Serbian president’s press office cited Serracchiani as expressing her satisfaction about the level of cooperation between the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and pointing out that the intention was to promote the cooperation further to include the whole of Serbia.

Serracchiani, who is also regional leader and deputy secretary of the ruling Democratic Party (PD), said that ties with Serbia were very important to Italy, which would make efforts to improve relations between the EU and Serbia during its current EU presidency.

Nikolić thanked Italy for supporting Serbia on its European integration path.

Cooperation agreements

Three agreements on economic and scientific and technical cooperation between Italy and Serbia were signed at the residence of the Italian Ambassador in Belgrade on Tuesday.

An agreement on trade cooperation between Finest, an Italian industrialist association, and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) were signed, on behalf of Finest, by Mauro Del Savio, and on behalf of the PKS, by its president, Željko Sertić.

An agreement on cooperation in the area of traffic control was signed by representative of the Corridoio Italia-Serbia consortium Giuseppe Bortolussi, director of Srbijatransport a.d. Goran Aleksić and Director of Železnicki Integrisani Transport Beograd (Integrated Railroad Transport Belgrade) Svetozar Milanović.

An agreement on scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries was signed by President of AREA Science Park Adriano De Maio and State Secretary at the Serbian Education Ministry Aleksandar Belić.

The signing ceremony was attended by Italian Ambassador in Belgrade Giuseppe Manzo, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović and President of the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia Debora Serracchiani.

Concert of Europe, performed by the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate the beginning of Italy’s six-month EU presidency, was hosted at the residence as well.

Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojković was the guest of honor at the event.