Opinions & Interviews

Italy described as informal friend of Belarus inside European Union

MINSK, 17 March (BelTA) – Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Rachkov met with Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Emigration Commission of the Senate of the Italian Republic Vito Petrocelli on 17 March. The meeting was organized upon the initiative of the Italian side, the press service of the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament told BelTA.

Sergei Rachkov said: “Italy has always been in the informal group of Belarus’ friends inside the European Union. We urge the Italian side, including members of the parliament, to evaluate events in Belarus in as an unbiased and unprejudiced manner as possible without succumbing to stereotypes being intensively circulated by a number of mass media.”

The meeting touched upon topical matters concerning the development of Belarusian-Italian relations – the COVID-19 pandemic and the overcoming of its consequences, the domestic political situation in Belarus, interaction between parliaments, the development of the legal base and humanitarian cooperation between Belarus and Italy. Vito Petrocelli wished the Belarusian people speedy overcoming of the consequences of the coronavirus infection.

Vito Petrocelli expressed concerns of the Italian side about the impact the situation in Belarus may have on regional stability and security. He backed the steps being taken in Belarus to stabilize the public and political situation. “Matters of domestic security lie within purview of the Belarusian state and citizens. Italy will speak in favor of a broad dialogue of all strata of the Belarusian society,” he noted.

Sergei Rachkov and Vito Petrocelli stated the considerable untapped potential of trade and economic cooperation and agreed to take measures to step up work along this track of bilateral interaction. The sides spoke at length about the invigoration of interparliamentary cooperation. Upon the proposal of the Italian side a videoconference will be arranged between the upper chambers of the Belarusian parliament and the Italian one.

The Italian senator made a request for continuing the pandemic-disrupted work on the adoption and recuperation of Belarusian kids in Italy. Sergei Rachkov stressed the importance of this line of work. “These matters represent an independent historical chapter of Belarus-Italy cooperation, which testifies to the level of our relations. Belarus has signed an agreement on the adoption of Belarusian kids only with Italy. The Belarusian side is grateful to Italy for the implementation of ‘Chernobyl’ programs on the recuperation of our kids,” he added.

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