Good morning everyone.
I wish to greet and, of course, thank Minister Tajani for holding this Ministerial Meeting on the Western Balkans in Rome. I welcome the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. My greetings also go to Swedish Foreign Minister Billström, who is attending in his role as President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, and EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Varhelyi.
The Western Balkans have always had strategic importance for our nation and this Government’s objective is to bring more Italy to this region from a political, economic and cultural point of view. Everything that happens on the other side of the Adriatic inevitably has an immediate impact on us and Italy therefore has a great responsibility towards the Balkans.
The European integration process of the Western Balkans is a strategic investment in Europe’s own security and the area’s stability, even more so in the current international context and given the growing exposure to hybrid and cyber threats. Italy is the leading European contributor to security in the region with the KFOR and EUFOR Althea missions and shall continue in this direction with the utmost determination. 
Everyone’s commitment is needed to make substantial progress with the regional reconciliation process and to intensify efforts to overcome the barriers and obstacles that prevent the region from making full use of its potential. The European Union and its Member States have made significant economic resources available to the region and it is now crucial to move forward together to effectively implement the Economic and Investment Plan and thereby strengthen the region’s economy and speed up its integration into the single market. 
However, I remain convinced that the best way to achieve full stabilisation of the Balkans is to definitively anchor the region to the European family. In 2022, we reached historic milestones: Italy strongly supported the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and the European Council’s decision to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. We must now maintain this momentum and push ahead, using all the incentives available.
It is of vital interest, to you and to Europe, to change pace on the region’s European integration process and achieve concrete developments. Europe is your home and Italy will always be by your side along this path. You can count on us!
Thank you and I wish you all the best with your work.

[Courtesy translation]