Meloni: Italy-Serbia bilateral relations exceptional

BELGRADE - Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday in Belgrade Italy and Serbia had developed exceptional bilateral relations, especially in recent years.

At a press conference after a meeting with Aleksandar Vucic, Meloni thanked the Serbian president for the great hospitality during her first-ever visit to Serbia.

"We also had a business forum, and dialogue between our governments has been intensified. We have done a lot together. Our bilateral trade, which is exceptional, could be even better. There are many Italian companies in Serbia and they employ 150,000 people. Belgrade was the first city in the world where some renowned Italian companies opened their representative offices. All that shows the attention we and our entrepreneurial world are devoting to Serbia," Meloni said at the Palace of Serbia.

She said the results achieved to date indicated that bilateral economic relations were good and added that, as a result of economic development of Serbia and Vucic's economic policy, there was great interest among Italian companies in doing business in Serbia.

"I am very pleased we have leaders who understand how important it is to boost our relations and our economies. All the work Italy and Serbia are doing together shows Serbia's strategic significance for Italy, and that is why we are here. We will continue to be one of the foremost supporters of the (EU) enlargement process," Meloni said.

She noted that the process should quickly lead to "reunification, rather than enlargement, of Europe."

"I know Serbia will continue to have a constructive approach also in the dialogue on Kosovo. Italy supports that process and we are working on getting all commitments undertaken by the parties to be implemented," she also said.