The Day of the Italian Republic was celebrated at the Italian Embassy.
On that occasion, Ambassador Carlo Lo Cascio said: “We live in a very complex international situation. After the great pandemic crisis, Europe is going through the most difficult moment in its recent history, while the brutal aggression against Ukraine leaves very serious consequences globally. The European Union has been shaped by major crises in the past and I am convinced that it will emerge stronger from this difficult situation, which, according to the Italian vision, requires accelerating the process of European integration of the Western Balkans, which now more than ever confirms the essence of its existence. Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the enlargement process does not pose a threat to the stability of the European project but is part of its full realization.
Italy has always supported the legitimate European aspirations of Serbia and the Balkan region, whose future is undoubtedly in the European Union. For this reason, we encourage Belgrade to continue on the bold path of reforms it has been implementing in recent years. In order for this perspective to become more concrete, it is necessary for everyone – Serbia, European institutions, and individual member states – to do their part.
As for Belgrade, I am not just talking about reforms or harmonization, which are certainly inevitable: I also mean the idea that membership in the European Union becomes a common goal, the legacy of all: government, opposition, civil society, and citizens. “Only with a true common zeal will Serbia be able to move faster towards formal entry into the great European family,” said Ambassador Lo Cascio in his speech.