PFG Head Jovan Palalic emphasised that he is satisfied with the intensity of relations between Serbia and Italy, and that mutual parliamentary relations are at the highest level.

"Belgrade and Rome have become centres of close cooperation. Our parliamentary cooperation is extremely good, as is cooperation in international forums in which we act together. We are grateful to Italy for the support it provides us in forums such as the PACE and CEI," said Palalic.

He added that relations between the two countries are at the highest level, and in his personal opinion, at the highest level in the last 100 years. The overall good relations are the result of the mutual understanding between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said the PFG Head, adding that the existing good economic cooperation between the two countries will be strengthened by new initiatives and opportunities for cooperation in areas such as green energy, innovation or new technologies, as well as particularly important cooperation at the regional level.

"We are grateful to Italy for its unconditional and clear support for European integration. Thank you for the demarche by which Italy, along with France, is requesting the urgent opening of Cluster 3 in our negotiation process with the EU. Our policy is clear, that is EU membership, and Italy is our partner on that path," said Palalic.

He used this opportunity to once again thank Italy for its engagement in the Western Balkans' accession to the EU. Speaking about the most difficult and important issue for Serbia, which is the issue of Kosovo-Metohija, Palalic emphasised that although Serbia and Italy do not have the same position, Serbia remains grateful to Italy for understanding the difficult and unbearable position of the Serbian people in Kosovo-Metohija and the threat to their basic human rights.

The head of the Italian delegation, Chairman of the Committee on European Union Policies of the Italian Parliament, Alessandro Giglio Vigna, said that Italy is an uncompromising friend to Serbia in political terms, and that he believes it is important for Serbia, as well as the entire region, to move closer to the EU. He assessed that if Serbia does not open Cluster 3 in the near future and move closer to the EU, there is a fear that its citizens will move closer to some other option than the EU, and therefore it is of strategic importance for the EU itself that the entire region becomes part of it.

The discussion with the Italian delegation was also attended by PFG members Biljana Pantic Pilja, Aleksandar Mirkovic, Olivera Denic and Ana Miljanic, who all reiterated the importance of opening Cluster 3, as well as their gratitude to Italy for supporting our country in this process and not imposing additional conditions. The discussion highlighted the good cooperation between the Serbian and Italian delegations in the PACE and CEI, which demonstrate Italy's commitment to the EU accession of Serbia as well as the entire Western Balkans. Special attention was paid to the support that Italy can provide to our people in terms of protecting human rights and freedoms, as well as preserving Serbian holy sites and cultural heritage in Kosovo-Metohija.