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

The 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 con vinced 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 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 Ita ly 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

SOLIDARITY In my view, the great solidarity movement coming from the Serbian population once again confirmed that the friendship and feelings between Italy and Serbia are long-standing and sincere EU We aim to ensure a recovery that is fully oriented towards economic growth and sustainable development, in particular though typical tools of the digitalisation era and ecological transition EU ACCESSION Italy is without a doubt the strongest supporter of Serbia’s accession to the European Union

ship to Serbia, after Belgrade sent seven aircraft to Italy last April, cooperation or supranational aid agreements were helpful in this carrying tonnes of medical donations to help us confront the worst context, as happened with the European “Recovery Fund”. moments of the coronavirus crisis in Italy.

Although I know the generosity of the Serbian people well, I EU leaders have agreed to a comprehensive package of €1,824.3 have to say that I was truly moved by all the expressions of affection billion, which includes €750 billion to address challenges posed by towards Italy coming from both ordinary Serbian citizens and the COVID-19. Do you believe that the package will save the EU econo authorities. The generous donations to the Italian people were an my from an economic crisis that, according to some analysts, could extraordinary gesture that was very much appreciated. In my view, be more serious than the one that hit in 2009? the great solidarity movement coming from the Serbian population - I would like to recall the words of our Prime Minister Conte when once again confirmed that the friendship and feelings between Italy he presented the approved package to the Parliament. He explained and Serbia are long-standing and sincere. The history of our relation that, faced with a shock of such proportions, during those dramatic ship is really a meeting of close neighbours who help each other, in months, the European Union was able to respond with courage and both good times and bad ones. vision, right up to the decision to approve, for

You know that last year we celebrated 140 It was important from the first time, an ambitious recovery programme, years of diplomatic relations between Italy and Serbia, which we used to call a “special relation our side to provide a sign of to be financed through the issuance of genuine European government bonds. ship”. In March that same year, when Belgrade solidarity and friendship to In this way, we achieved a radical change of per received the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, we also did a dedicated special edition with CorD Magazine entitled “Always Serbia, after Belgrade sent seven aircraft spective, going beyond the logic of simple aid. We aim, instead, to ensure a recovery that is fully oriented towards economic growth and together”. In this situation of urgent humanitarian to Italy last April, carrying sustainable development, in particular though need, we can say “always together” once again, and even louder! tonnes of medical donations typical tools of the digitalisation era and eco logical transition. to help us confront the After spring 2020 and the first wave of COV ID-19 took thousands of lives in Italy, do you fear that we could see a new wave of the pandemic? t worst moments of he coronavirus crisis in Italy Italy is Serbia’s top economic partner. Could the economic recession that’s expected as a con sequence of the COVID-19 pandemic impact - Many doctors and experts foresee a difficult on the level of economic exchange? autumn/winter in Europe, if not around the whole world. I personally - Although the crisis had an impact on the economic partnership between cannot make forecasts, though I obviously hope that an increase in Italy and Serbia, this must be seen in light of the more general crisis that contagions in Italy, Serbia or other places will not happen again, and affected economies worldwide. Considering the situation as a whole, I that the current rise in numbers in some countries will stop soon. would say that trade exchanges between our two countries are still safe

Having said that, I think that countries in the meantime gained and sound. Of course, we would like to see everything soon go back to much more experience for fighting the virus and they should now “business as usual”, in order to again reach the four-billion-euro peak be better prepared to face new infection “waves” than in the past, of 2018 in trade exchange as soon as possible. also considering that in many parts of the world processes are well Innovation instruments envisaged in the European Recovery Fund underway to establish international rescue and support mechanisms, should also help in this direction, as well as a strategy of public support like in the case of the EU. for companies that already operate or intend to enter international What do you think is the greater danger now: the Coronavirus Pan ment to give a new impetus to the production system. demic or the socio-economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis? markets through the extraordinary resources provided by the govern - Both are obviously severe aspects of this crisis. It is fundamental to Do you know what fate awaits the Fiat factory in Kragujevac? preserve the health of the population and therefore continue to put - The FCA [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles] Group is a very solid economic in place appropriate measures, if and when needed. player. FCA is certainly going to continue to invest and be present in

At the same time, economic systems must be kept active and Serbia, as it is also very likely developing new project ideas for the economic relations need to continue and flourish again. International immediate future.

Italy supports Serbia’s European integration, though that process I therefore expect the new Serbian Government to maintain appears to be slowing down. How do you see the fact that Serbia the pace of its European journey and continue the reform process, has not opened a single chapter in the last six months, for the first considering that – with accession to the EU – Belgrade is looking for time since it began EU membership negotiations? something beyond: better living standards and more prosperity for - Italy is without a doubt the strongest supporter of Serbia’s accession the whole country and its population. to the European Union. Italy and Serbia also last year celebrated 10 years since the signing of the strategic partnership agreement, which During the state of emergency this spring, you were very active on officially marked our commitment to intensify renewed cooperation social networks, reminding your followers of the EU’s support for under the basis of the common intention to see Serbia moving even Serbia during the struggle against the coronavirus outbreak. Do you faster towards European integration. Therefore, this certainly remains have the impression that there is a feeling in Serbia, but also in Ita one of the core aspects of our relationship, as ly, that the EU was late in reacting to the panwell as our bilateral support to Serbia. demic, while some other countries, such as

As a demonstration, in Belgrade last De China, quickly organised the sending of aid? cember we welcomed a visit of our European - At the beginning of the outbreak of this coro Integration Minister Vincenzo Amendola, and navirus in Italy, and therefore in Europe, not this year began with the visit of our Foreign Af many people immediately realised what was fairs Minister Luigi Di Maio, who reaffirmed the happening everywhere, and some observers fundamental pillars of our partnership, including commented that the EU did not want to help our common belonging to the European project. Italy. The European Council later responded fully

Serbia also certainly has the clear goal of to its task, as I said before, making its decision completing its European integration path, as more forward looking than ever. of a long time ago, and it has been carrying out The EU also contributed a lot to assist the accession process officially from 2014, ac Serbia during the most difficult months, with cording to an agreed schedule that requires the effective assistance, immediate humanitarian fulfilment of reforms and changes in 35 “sectors” aid and generous donations. (the so-called ‘Chapters’ listed by the Framework In general, I disagree with certain doubting Agreement for Accession Negotiations). In the approaches regarding the EU’s true intentions latest periodical evaluation of the state, there Last year we celebrated 140 towards Serbia. They are deceiving and coun was no agreement among EU member states years of diplomatic relations terproductive. We shouldn’t forget that the on the opening of new Chapters, as the majority thought that there was not enough progress on between Italy and Serbia, implementation mechanism provides Serbia with 300 million euros in grants per year to crucial chapters 23 and 24, on the rule of law which we used to call a support the reform process. In addition to and fundamental rights. That doesn’t mean that EU member states “special relationship”. In March that, we should not forget that the EU, as a whole, is Serbia’s top trade partner, top donor don’t maintain an interest in Serbia becoming that same year, when Belgrade and top investor. part of the EU. Rather, it is a sign that democratic processes, the protection of human rights and cross-party dialogue should all be more central received the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, What do you expect in the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, and visible aspects, in order to bring the country we also did a dedicated special which has been renewed under the patron ever closer to EU standards. edition with CorD Magazine age of the EU? - We fully support the dialogue under EU facili There were voices from EU institutions raising entitled “Always together”. tation between Belgrade and Priština, and we concern over the state of democracy in Serbia. How would you asses the current situation? In this situation of urgent were pleased with the resumption of talks in Brussels, in July, after a long pause. We are aware - Given that Serbia is in the European integration humanitarian need, we can that discussions are never easy, and that’s why process, a spill-over effect is expected to take say “always together” once we encourage both sides to work with openplace in several sectors of reform, generating a positive transformative trend, specifically again, and even louder! mindedness and a forward-looking approach, in line with their European perspective. We firmly in critical areas. support EU Special Representative Miroslav

Specific improvements should be achieved especially on the rule Lajčak’s facilitation in the search for a sustainable and durable agree of law. Media freedom and freedom of expression, as well as reform ment to ensure peace and stability in the region. Italy supports this in the administration and the judicial system, together with the fight process very much, also by leading the KFOR Mission, which benefits against corruption, are key areas that require further developments. from the presence and support of many actors.