Alessandro Pignatti Morano Di Custoza, Ambassador of the Italian Republic in Croatia
Five Stars Croatia Issue 4 — April 01, 2009.

Let me first of all thank Five Stars for the opportunity to contribute to this interesting and useful magazine. As You may know, this is a very important and fortunate moment in the bilateral relations between our two Countries.
Italy and Croatia share a common past and a very similar historic and cultural heritage.

This, and the geographic vicinity are solid basis for a common future based on the European perspective. To achieve the accession to the E.U., Croatia had to perform and is still performing numerous and important reforms such as the reform of the judiciary system and that of the public administration.

Along this not always easy journey, Croatia can count on the support of E.U. member States. Italy, as one of the founding members and being a good neighbour inspired by the principle of solidarity, is here to assist Croatia in joining the European family, not only for the benefit of Croatia itself, but also bearing in mind the stability and prosperity of the whole region.

Italy’s support for Croatian accession negotiations to be completed by the end of this year remains total, including in helping to overcome the open border issues with Slovenia. Than, it is up to Croatia, of course, to reach this goal bringing to completion the reforms process that Croatia is committed to. We count on our relationship to remain friendly and solid both before and after the accession, in order to contribute, as partners in the European Union, to the shaping of the model of the Europe we aim to build.

Other than being a crucial year for Croatia’s accession to the E.U., 2009 is particularly important for our bilateral relations. At the very beginning of this year, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini paid a visit to Croatia and in this occasion a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed, in order to further enhance our relations in every field. We already have excellent economic relations. Italy is Croatia’s first client and first supplier and among the strongest investors, but after the signing of the mentioned Memorandum, both sides agreed to hold annual meetings with the participation of numerous Ministers of both Governments under the chairmanship of the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs. We particularly aim at fostering political cooperation in Europe and in the region, cooperation in international peace missions abroad.

In the economic field, the goal is to favour a partnership for the development of the Northern Adriatic bordering cooperation in the field of environment protection as well as in the field of energy, transport, ports, infrastructure and renewable energy projects. At the same time we value and encourage the further development of already existing initiatives. Some Italian firms are participating successfully in the realisation of important infrastructural projects such as railways. These are facts, starting from which we seek to further deepen our mutual trust and confidence by working more and more together.

There is another very strong link between our two Countries: the historic presence of the Italian community in Croatia and that of the Croatian community in Italy, acting as bridges, with the goal of promoting multiculturalism and mutual respect and understanding, Those are European values and the membership of Croatia in the E.U. can only favour their full implementation.

The recent visit of the Prime Minister Sanader to Italy is another step in the excellent and harmonious relationships between the two countries. Further step would be the meeting of the Ministerial Committee foreseen by the Memorandum.

Strengthening the bilateral relations in the European perspective is the common goal to pursue.