The European Union should urgently develop a new vision about the Western Balkans and have enlargement among its priorities, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday.
Meloni spoke in a video message during a conference in Trieste dubbed “Italy and the Western Balkans: growth and integration” which was organised by the Foreign Ministry on the initiative of Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani.
The conference is part of the government’s programme to accelerate the accession process of the Western Balkan countries and “bring more Italy” to the region through investments in “strategic sectors”.
“The (Italian) government is there and is ready to do its part to strengthen the presence of Italian companies in the Balkans”, Meloni stressed.
The event was attended by various stakeholders such as Enac, Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority, Fincantieri, the country’s shipbuilding company, and the bank Intesa SanPaolo.
During the conference, Tajani explained that the government aims to encourage investment by Italian companies in the Western Balkans so as not to leave room for other countries that could take advantage of the opportunity for economic growth.
“If we are politically present, with our companies and also with our peacekeeping troops, there is no danger of others occupying space. There is not only Russia, many are interested in the Balkans. That is why Italy and Europe must be more present”, said Tajani.
This was echoed by Fincantieri President General Claudio Graziano.
“The Balkan countries either become strongly European or risk falling somehow under a game of other powers. If one goes to the Balkans now, one finds strong Turkish communities, strong Chinese interests, and Russian penetration”.
Stability in the Western Balkans is also crucial for solving the problem of irregular migration as flows pass through the region from Turkey.
Tajani also stressed that the government wants the region “in the European orbit” and the European market. An issue that “unfortunately has slowed down in recent years because it was not considered a priority by some European countries” but acquired relevance again thanks to Ukraine, said Italy’s Ambassador to Serbia, Luca Gori.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi also spoke at the event, calling on Italy to “promote itself more strongly” in the Western Balkans and the EU.
The goal of developing local economies and creating new job opportunities in the Balkans as well as in Italy is possible “through trade liberalisation, the elimination of trade barriers and the promotion of investments in the Western Balkan countries”, said Italian Economy Undersecretary Sandra Savino.
Trade between Italy and Western Balkan countries amounts to €14 billion, including with EU members Croatia and Slovenia, candidates for membership Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania, and potential candidates Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(Federica Pascale | EURACTIV.it)
Source: euractiv.com
