Italy’s support for Serbia’s closer European integration, and bilateral relations, were the key issues in Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi’s talks with the Serbian leadership in Belgrade. Minister Terzi had taken a scheduled flight to the Serbian capital for the talks, in the run-up to the installation of the new government there. Terzi is the first member of an EU government, and at global level the first foreign minister, to meet the new Serbian Government, a coalition of nationalist conservatives and socialists.
For Italy, relations with Serbia and the other Balkan countries are an utmost priority, said Terzi at the end of his meeting with the new Serbian Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic. Speaking to journalists at a press conference, Terzi underscored that Italy has from the outset been an “untiring supporter” of Serbia’s obtaining candidate status. “We hope”, he added, “that negotiations for Belgrade’s accession can open at the earliest possible date”. This process will entail domestic reforms and on-going dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. “I’m confident”, concluded Terzi, “that in both these spheres we shall see progress that the EU will recognise in deciding to open talks”.
Kosovo: the importance of dialogue
Terzi underscored the importance, for Serbia’s European aspirations, of dialogue on Kosovo by Belgrade and Pristina. “Dialogue is hugely significant in bringing Serbia closer to the EU”, he commented. After a long break connected with the country’s elections (voting took place on 6 May), the Belgrade-Pristina negotiations should resume in the next few weeks. Premier Dacic observed that the new government has not yet addressed this sensitive issue. “We’re open to this and I think we’re looking at this coming September”.
Bilateral relations
In addition to Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, Terzi’s talks with the Serbian government, including Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic, touched on regional cooperation in the Balkans and the state of bilateral relations, not least in terms of the outlook for Italian investment in Serbia. In spite of the negative international economic situation, Italy was once again Serbia’s third commercial partner in 2011, with trade reaching around 2 billion euros – a level not seen since before the 2008 crisis. With about 500 partly or wholly owned Italian companies in the country, employing over 20,000 people, Italy is one of Serbia’s leading foreign investors.