"It is urgent that the European Union develop a new vision towards" the
Western Balkans and "put enlargement" to the Region "among its priorities".
This was stated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in her video-speech at the opening of the conference "Italy and the Western Balkans: growth and integration", an initiative by the Farnesina and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, underway in Trieste.
"Bringing more Italy to the Balkans".
It is "the goal of this government".
And the Conference on the Balkans underway in Trieste is a piece of this process.
The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it in a video intervention.
"It's what all the friends of the region ask us, I personally saw it at the summit in Tirana. We are protagonists in the region but we must renew this presence and invest in strategic sectors", added Meloni.
The Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani
is of the same opinion .
"Today must serve to bring together all the Italian forces of the various sectors, entrepreneurial and political, also with the blessing of the EU, to launch an ever stronger presence of our country in a region that must also become part of the European market We are for an acceleration" of the accession processes of the countries of the Western Balkans, said the minister on the sidelines of the conference.
"The stability of the region is also fundamental because migratory flows from Turkey also pass through the Balkans and it is important to avoid illegal immigration. Stability also means the possibility of economic growth and the presence of our businesses. With Minister Crosetto we have already been in Serbia and Kosovo also to facilitate dialogue between these two countries. Also thanks to the presence of many Italian soldiers, I believe we can build positive action for our country", he highlighted.
"We want to have the Balkan countries in the European orbit, this means being credible, serious, reliable, making investments. We want to be more present because in politics when spaces are left these spaces are occupied by others. If we are present politically, with our businesses and also with our peacekeepers there is no danger of occupation of spaces by others. There is not only Russia, many are interested in the Balkans. This is why Italy and Europe must be more present,” Tajani said.