Members of the Collegium of both Houses received the President of the Senate of Italy

 
Members of the Collegium of both Houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH PA) met in Sarajevo with the President of the Senate of Italy, Pietro Grasso, to improve bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and to discuss the content of the 13th Conference of Presidents of Parliaments of the Adriatic - Ionian Initiative (AII), hosted by the BiH PA.

Noting that relations between the two countries are at a very high level and that there are no outstanding issues between Italy and BiH, the interlocutors stressed the importance of strengthening and improving economic co-operation and mutual support between the two countries, regarding membership of international organizations and institutions.

Thanking Mr. Grasso for Italy's full support to BiH in the European integration process, the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Bariša Čolak, said that he believes that BiH will not miss the huge opportunity handed to it by the new initiative of the European Union (EU). Mr. Čolak stressed that in everybody in BiH is aware that the State must urgently begin those reforms that will bring a better social and economic situation, new jobs and a better life for the citizens of our country.

The Speaker of the BiH PA House of Representatives, Šefik Džaferović, said that Italy's support to our European path means a lot to our country and expressed the conviction that BiH's path, depending upon the speed of reform, will end in EU membership.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Safet Softić, welcomed Senator Grasso's visit to our country and stressed that the outstretched hand of the EU to BiH, after years of stalemate, is seen as a chance for a new start and as an accelerated path to the EU.

Thanking all for the warm welcome, the President of the Senate of Italy, Pietro Grasso, congratulated BiH PA officials on the entry into force of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, saying that the EU expects our country to move without delay in the implementation of reforms. Senator Grasso said that Italy is very keen for BiH to progress more rapidly towards Europe and announced that his country will continue supporting BiH in both political and economic terms.

The President of the Senate of Italy thanked his hosts for including a debate on illegal immigration at the upcoming Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the Member States of Adriatic - Ionian Initiative in Neum, adding that the humanitarian disaster in the Mediterranean is a problem which urgently needs to be addressed not only by Italy and the countries of the Adriatic - Ionian Initiative, but by the entire EU.

Senator Grasso thanked BiH for its promised support to Italy's bid for non - permanent membership of the UN Security Council, and invited his hosts to visit the Parliament of Italy. (End)