Bećirović-Mattarella: Italy firmly behind an independent, sovereign, and indivisible BiH!

(Patria) - Chairman of the BiH Presidency Denis Bećirović spoke today in Rome with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella.

Bećirović was received with the highest state and military honors at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, the official residence of the Italian President.

This is the first official visit to Italy by the Chairman of the BiH Presidency in seventeen years.

He informed the President of Italy about the dangerous anti-Dayton attempts by the authorities of the BiH entity of Republika Srpska, which directly threaten the peace process and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.



He emphasized that there will be no "peaceful separation", nor any kind of separation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was not created by the association of entities; it is a state with a long continuity of existence. Bosnia and Herzegovina will be defended by the legal bodies of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with its allies - Bećirović stated.

He thanked Italy for its continuous support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and added that he particularly appreciates Italy's efforts in highlighting the importance of EU enlargement.

Mattarella said that Italy will continue to promote the European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the future.

He stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a state of great importance for Italy and Europe, and that it is key to the peace and stability of Southeastern Europe.

He also expressed Italy's firm support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The interlocutors stated that bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy are very friendly and without open issues.



It was emphasized that good political and economic relations represent an exceptional opportunity for further improvement of cooperation between the two countries.

Bećirović pointed out that the economic relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy are good, but that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a great interest in further strengthening economic ties.

- Italy is one of the main foreign trade partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2023, exports to Italy amounted to 1.4 billion KM, and imports in the same period amounted to 3.8 billion KM of the total foreign trade exchange between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.

There is additional room for improving the foreign trade exchange between the two countries in the coming period - Bećirović stated.

He expressed special gratitude to President Mattarella for his continuous support in the process of adopting the Resolution on the Genocide against Bosniaks in Srebrenica.

He also emphasized that it is very important for Bosnia and Herzegovina that Italy was a co-sponsor of the Resolution.

Bećirović invited the President of Italy to officially visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- That visit would be an additional step towards further strengthening the political and economic ties between the two countries - Bećirović added.