Deputy Minister Benedetto Della Vedova met today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Vice Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Aleš Chmelař. The meeting focused on bilateral relations and various European issues, including the post-Covak recovery and the Next Generation EU plan, the Conference on the Future of Europe, enlargement to the Western Balkans and cooperation in managing migration flows.
At the opening of the talks, Della Vedova expressed the hope for a relaunch of bilateral cooperation after the pandemic. According to the Deputy Minister, this cooperation should be developed both on a bilateral and European level. The Conference on the future of Europe, which opened on 9 May, offered the first opportunity. Della Vedova said: “This must be a chance for an ambitious rethink of the integration project, focusing on the citizens’ priorities and open to institutional changes”.
The Deputy Minister also called for a constructive attitude from the Czech side on the New European Pact on Migration and Asylum. He pointed out that the negotiations “will have to take due account also of the need to alleviate the pressure on the countries of first entry, through adequate relocation mechanisms for migrants rescued at sea”.
As for the enlargement to the Western Balkans, Italy and the Czech Republic share their strategic nature and agree on the need for the European Union to give the countries in the region clear and tangible signs of commitment: the enlargement process must be serious and credible.
Finally, the Deputy Minister reiterated Italy’s solidarity with the Czech Republic over the recent diplomatic tensions with Russia. He stressed the need for European countries to remain united in defending the values of democracy and respect for the rule of law, the founding principles of the European Union.