The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, spoke with the President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, as part of his official visit to the Republic of Italy.
Bećirović was received with the highest state and military honors in the Quirinale Palace in Rome, the official residence of the Italian president. This is the first official visit to the Republic of Italy by the Chairman of the BiH Presidency after seventeen years.
Bećirović informed the President of the Republic of Italy about the dangerous anti-Dayton attempts of the BiH authorities. entity of the RS, which directly threatens the peace process and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said that there will be no “peaceful disunification”, nor any disunification in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was not created by the union of entities, it is a state that has a long continuity of its existence. Bosnia and Herzegovina will be defended by the legal authorities of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the allies.
During the meaningful conversation, Bećirović thanked the Republic of Italy for its continuous support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. He emphasized that he particularly appreciates the efforts of the Republic of Italy in emphasizing the importance of EU enlargement.
The President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, said that Italy will continue to encourage the European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the future. President Mattarella said that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country of great importance for Italy and Europe, and that this country is crucial for the peace and stability of Southeast Europe. He also expressed the Republic of Italy’s firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The interlocutors stated that the bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy are very friendly and without open issues. It was emphasized that good political and economic relations represent an exceptional opportunity for further improvement of cooperation between the two countries.
The Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović, pointed out that the economic relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Italy are good, but that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a great interest in further strengthening economic relations. The Republic of Italy is one of the main foreign trade partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2023, exports to Italy amounted to 1.4 billion BAM, and imports in the same period amounted to 3.8 billion BAM of the total foreign trade exchange between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy. There is additional room for improving foreign trade between the two countries in the coming period.
During the conversation, the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović, expressed special gratitude to President Mattarella for his continuous support in the process of adopting the Resolution on the genocide of Bosniaks in Srebrenica. He pointed out that it is very important for Bosnia and Herzegovina that Italy was a co-sponsor of the Resolution.
The Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović, invited the President of the Republic of Italy, Serđo Matarella, to officially visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. This visit would be an additional step towards further strengthening the political and economic ties between the two countries, Bećirović emphasized.
Also, after the meeting in the Quirinale Palace, President Mattarella will host a festive lunch in honor of Chairman Bećirović.
During his visit to Italy, Bećirović will discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path towards full membership in the EU and NATO, as well as strengthening the overall cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.
The official visit to the Republic of Italy, one of the leading powers of the EU, is a continuation of the diplomatic activities of Denis Bećirović as the chairman of the BiH Presidency.
