by InTrieste
The national conference “Italy and the Western Balkans: Growth and Integration” is taking place this Tuesday 24 January 2023 until 4.30 p.m. at the Trieste Convention Center in Trieste.
“Italy should take the lead”, was the leitmotif of this morning’s part of the press conference where Italian state took center stage. One of the priorities of the new national Italian government is to promote Italy’s role in the Western Balkans, which culminated in the organization of the said conference, an initiative orchestrated by the Farnesina and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
Tajani oepend the forum, flanked by the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Sandra Savino. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed the public in a video message earlier today, as well as the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi. In addition, representatives of the most important associations of the Italian manufacturing sector, companies, and institutions such as CEI, SACE, SIMEST, FINEST, EIB, EBRD, are attending the conference.
Today’s conference includes panels dedicated to the objectives of the Italy-Western Balkans partnership, participation of the Italian ambassadors in the region, focus on tools available to the private sector and the internationalization of businesses, as well as international tools to support economic growth.
The conference will also concentrate on the presentation of the project “Go! 2025 Nova Gorica and Gorica European Capital of Culture 2025,” one of the most crucial cross-border initiatives on the axis between Italy and Slovenia, especially from a symbolic point of view.
The national conference marks Italy’s renewed commitment to the Balkans outside the EU, not only on the European integration front but also on that of Italy’s economic presence in the area, with Balkan economic growth seen as key to stability and security.
