Belgrade, 21 March 2023

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic stated today, at the opening of the Serbia-Italy Business and Science Forum, that the foreign trade exchange between the two countries reached €4.6 billion last year and invited Italian companies to come to Serbia because we have a safe investment environment.

At a meeting in the Palace of Serbia, in the presence of Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani, Vucic said that Italy is a sincere friend of Serbia and that Italian businessmen are more than welcome in our country.

The President of the Republic pointed out that in the previous three years, Serbia attracted 53 percent of foreign investments in the entire Western Balkans, and added that he is proud of that result, which would not have been achieved without the help of Italian companies, as well as those from the EU and the rest of the world.

Vucic pointed out that the countries of the Western Balkans want a greater presence of Italy, both economically and politically.

Tajani said that Italy wants to be more present in Serbia and the Balkans, which has strategic importance, according to him.

He stated that Italy has four million small and medium-sized enterprises and that he is convinced that his country can export its knowledge and products.

We need to internationalise business operations by cooperating with friendly countries and establishing joint ventures for the benefit of Serbia and Italy, as well as to strengthen Serbia's candidacy for EU membership, the Vice President of the Council of Ministers said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Italian soldiers in Kosovo and Metohija who always guaranteed the inviolability of Serbian monasteries.

The Serbia-Italy Forum for Business and Scientific Cooperation, which is being held as part of the official visit of the Italian state and business delegation to Serbia gathers 246 companies from Serbia and 149 from Italy, and around 400 bilateral meetings are planned.