Tadic: Italy Backs Serbia's EU Integration

Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Thursday in Rome that he received Italy's support for Serbia's EU integration.

Addressing reporters after the meeting with his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano, Tadic said that Rome is one of Serbia's key partners.

He expressed confidence that Serbian nationals will be eligible for visa-free travels to EU member states by the end of the year, noting that the most responsible for this development are Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who is a former EU Commissioner, and current EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

The Serbian delegation, headed by Tadic, came on Thursday on a three-day visit to Italy. The Serbian delegation includes Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, Deputy Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic and Mladjan Dinkic, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and several other ministers.
 
Even though Italy did recognise Kosovo, Tadic stressed he appreciated that Rome decided not to participate in the discussion before the International Court of Justice, ICJ, on whether Kosovo's independence went against international law.

The principal topics for discussion with Napolitano were reportedly bilateral relations, investments of Italian companies in Serbia and the integration of Western Balkans into the EU.

Additionally, Tadic will visit Turin where Italian car manufacturer Fiat is set to present a new model, which should be produced in Serbia. Representatives of Fiat and Serbian state-owned car factory Zastava are about to sign an annex to their agreement founding Fiat Automobiles Serbia in the town of Kragujevac.