The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani was received with military honours at the Quirinale Palace today by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
The two presidents confirmed the amicable relations between the two countries and affirmed the commitment to expand the cooperation in benefit of the citizens and in order to overcome the security challenges in the region and beyond.
At the meeting, President Osmani spoke about the developments in Kosovo and about the priorities in the field of policymaking, emphasizing that Kosovo is a serious partner and a country ready for the advancement of alliances with strategic partners.
She appreciated Italy’s support to Kosovo on its journey towards its membership in the Euro-Atlantic structures and thanked Italy for its strong support in maintaining security and stability. President Osmani also spoke about the strategic importance of Kosovo’s membership in international organizations and singled out the membership in the Council of Europe on which issue she asked for Italy’s support.
Emphasizing that Italy is on the list of top 10 partner countries in the field of trade, President Osmani potentiated the advantages of doing business in Kosovo. Madam President presented many opportunities for cooperation in areas of common interest such as security, energy, culture and human rights.
President Osmani and President Mattarella also discussed the developments in Europe as result of the Russian aggression on Ukraine, agreeing on the importance of cooperation and the deepening of alliances in the protection of peace, security and democracy.
The two presidents also discussed security challenges in Kosovo and in the region. On this occasion, President Osmani stated that Kosovo has always been and remains a peace-loving country and as such, will always remain in defense of peace, democracy and democratic values. The latest developments in the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue were also discussed at the meeting. In this regard, President Osmani emphasized that Kosovo remains a committed and constructive party and that it is committed to a process focused on mutual recognition, which ultimately guarantees the protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order.
Highly praising President Mattarella’s hospitality and kindness, President Osmani extended an invitation to President Mattarella for an official visit to Prishtina, which would constitute the first visit of an Italian president to the Republic of Kosovo.