Serbia and Italy have very well-developed bilateral relations, particularly in the area of economy. The political dialogue between the two countries is very dynamic, and Italy is providing continuous political support to Serbia in getting the date for starting the EU accession negotiations, assessed Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic. 

In his interview for diplomatic magazine Cord, Serbian Foreign Minister particularly underlined the importance of Italy's continued political support to Serbia regarding the date for the commencement of accession talks with the European Union.

Mrkic said that Italy and Serbia share similar views on the development of their bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation through institutions such as the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, and that within the bilateral segment, this was particularly important for the economic and technological, as well as the intensive cultural cooperation which is being continuously developed.

When asked what he considered the major aspect of economic cooperation with Italy, which is Serbia's first and foremost partner in this area, Mrkic said that Serbia and Italy had the most comprehensive cooperation in the automotive industry.

He also said that Italy had made significant investments in Serbia's energy sector and textile industry, as well as food and chemical industries, and that these investments opened new jobs for Serbian citizens.

Mrkic further stated " the application of new technologies increases international competitiveness of the Serbian economy and provides us with the opportunity to export to third markets".

Serbia and Italy have developed successful cooperation in the areas of culture and protection of precious cultural heritage in Kosovo, through UNESCO, said Serbian Foreign Minister and thanked the Italian KFOR and EULEX contingents.

Speaking about the most important bilateral agreements concluded between Serbia and Italy, Mrkic pointed out the Agreement on the economic, industrial and technical cooperation, the Agreement on cooperation in the areas of culture and education, and the Agreement on scientific and technical cooperation.

He said that the establishment of the strategic partnership between Italy and Serbia at the First Summit in Rome in 2009 gave a particular impetus to the development of bilateral relations, noting that the two countries have also signed a Memorandum of understanding in the areas of civil protection and European integration.

When asked about the advantages of methods for combating corruption and organized crime, which were developed in Italy and Serbia is applying, Mrkić said that Italy was highly experienced in the fight against various forms of organized crime and terrorism, and that it shared with Serbia its experiences in order for relevant Serbian authorities to efficiently and more rapidly adopt anti-crime technologies and mechanisms.

Asked about the usefulness of the support provided by Italian experts in the Serbia's EU integration process, based on the Memorandum of understanding on cooperation in this field, signed by the two foreign ministries, Mrkić said that this provides a sufficient legal framework for cooperation between the two ministries and that the agreement would have positive effects on regional initiatives involving both countries.

Mrkić also stressed the contribution of former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in granting Serbia the visa-free regime.
"We also expect similar results in other segments, especially as prominent EU member states, including Italy, could easily detect obstacles on our path to EU membership and help us find a solution," said Mrkić.

Finally, describing the overall relations between Italy and Serbia, Serbian Foreign Minister said that our diplomatic relations have always been and always will be very good, noting that, in addition to the many ties that bind us, there are always possibilities to build the new and promote the existing ones, to our mutual satisfaction.