PARTNERS: ITALY & SERBIA
INTERVIEW
H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO, AMBASSADOR OF ITALY TO SERBIA
FRIENDS
During Both Good And Bad Times The Italian medical team said that Serbia was definitely fully prepared to face the COVID-19 crisis. The expertise of local healthcare staff was assessed as being at a high level - Carlo Lo Cascio
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he COVID-19 Pandemic and many months of the struggle against the virus have provided new confirmation of the “special relationship” between Italy and Serbia. Despite being confronted by a dangerous virus, our two countries – which last year celebrated 140 years of diplomatic relations – once again found a way to help and support one another, says ambassador Carlo Lo Cascio. The economic crisis that has come as a result of COVID-19 hit the economies of both countries, but the Italian ambassador is convinced that it won’t have a stronger negative influence on our economic exchange. In this interview for CorD Magazine, ambassador Lo Cascio also says that Italian car manufacturer FCA is staying in Serbia, where it is “very likely developing new project ideas for the immediate future”. Your Excellency, a team of Italian doctors came to Serbia to help fight against COVID-19. Could you tell us more about this medical mission? - The Italian medical team came to Serbia for two weeks during last August, with much enthusiasm and willingness to support the Serbian people, as well as their Serbian colleagues, sharing the expertise matured during the most difficult months of the pandemic in Italy, last spring. The team consisted of five doctors (a surgeon, an infectologist
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and two anesthetists) and a nurse, who hail from four different Italian regions: Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio and Puglia. They visited the Belgrade Clinical Centre, Zemun Hospital, the clinical centres of Niš, Kragujevac and Novi Sad, as well as KBC Bežanijska Kosa. As they stated during an interview released after the first week of their activity, Serbia was definitely fully prepared to face the crisis, and they assessed the level of expertise of local sanitary as being at a high level. On the Serbian side, in particular, the visit of the Italian medical team was appreciated for their useful advice regarding techniques adopted in Italy for treating some COVID-19 cases in hospitals. The engagement of Italian doctors in Serbia further demonstrates the solidarity between our two countries. Italy’s struggle against the COVID-19 virus was followed with great sympathy in Serbia. Were you surprised by the humanitarian aid that was sent to Italy from Belgrade? - The mission of the Italian medical team was organised in summer, right when Serbia, unfortunately, had a high number of contagions again, especially in Belgrade and other main urban centres. It was important from our side to provide a sign of solidarity and friend-
