(ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, APRIL 26 - The strengthening and
improvement of regional cooperation in the Adriatic-Balkan
basin, with the aim of accelerating the process of European
integration, have been at the centre of the tenth conference of
parliamentary speakers from countries involved in the
Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), which has taken place in
Belgrade today under the rotating stewardship of Serbia. Italy
was represented by Roberto Antonione, the chair of the Italian
delegation at the parliamentary assembly of the Central European
Initiative (Cei), who reiterated Italy's firm backing of the
Balkan region's full integration inside the European Union.
Antonione also underlined Italy's efforts towards a scheme to
create an Adriatic-Ionian macro-region, which he said "could
represent an important and decisive factor in trans-national
integration, and further facilitate the entry of all states in
the area into Europe".
Today's talks at the Serbian Parliament building in Belgrade were chaired by Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, the chair of the Assembly, who is also Serbia's interim President ahead of the election of a new head of state on May 6, with a possible run-off on May 20.
Djukic-Dejanovic said that regional cooperation is one of the priorities of Serbia's foreign policy, the aim of which is full integration within the EU. This, she added, would be a factor of stability and development in the Balkan area, and would help to improve neighbourly relations between countries in the region that were involved in the bloody conflicts of the 1990s.
The conference was also addressed by the secretary general of the regional organisation, Fabio Pigliapoco.
On June 1, the rotating presidency of the AII will be passed on from Serbia to Slovenia, which was represented at the Belgrade meeting by the Parliament speaker, Gregori Virant.
The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was set up in 2000 and consists of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece and Italy. (ANSAmed)
Today's talks at the Serbian Parliament building in Belgrade were chaired by Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, the chair of the Assembly, who is also Serbia's interim President ahead of the election of a new head of state on May 6, with a possible run-off on May 20.
Djukic-Dejanovic said that regional cooperation is one of the priorities of Serbia's foreign policy, the aim of which is full integration within the EU. This, she added, would be a factor of stability and development in the Balkan area, and would help to improve neighbourly relations between countries in the region that were involved in the bloody conflicts of the 1990s.
The conference was also addressed by the secretary general of the regional organisation, Fabio Pigliapoco.
On June 1, the rotating presidency of the AII will be passed on from Serbia to Slovenia, which was represented at the Belgrade meeting by the Parliament speaker, Gregori Virant.
The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was set up in 2000 and consists of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece and Italy. (ANSAmed)
