During the reception, Mayor Filipović pointed out very good cooperation between Croatia and Italy in a number of fields, expressing his belief that cooperation, especially in the field of tourism, entrepreneurship and economy, would improve and become easier after 1 January 2023, when Croatia would officially introduce the euro as its official currency, and would also enter the Schengen Area, occasion supported by Italy.

Reception in honour of the Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Pierfrancesco Sacco

The mayor also presented to the Ambassador large public and private projects that are currently in the implementation phase, such as the construction of road infrastructure, preparations for the construction of the new marina in the port of Rijeka, as well as the projects that relate to the development of railway infrastructure in the future.

Filipović also highlighted good cooperation with the Italian national minority in Rijeka and the Italian Consulate, especially emphasising cooperation with the Italian Union. “Together with them, we are about to start the construction of a new kindergarten in the quarter Krnjevo, yet another building that will host groups of children belonging to the Italian national minority. The works should be completed by mid 2026, but I believe that it is possible to perform them earlier,” said the mayor.

The mayor and the Ambassador also talked about the development of tourism in the territory of Rijeka and its surroundings, since Kvarner is a preferred destination among Italian tourists. “This year was a record year for Rijeka and its surroundings in terms of the number of tourist arrivals, and I hope that with the disappearance of physical borders, the numbers will continue to grow in the future,” said Filipović.

Reception in honour of the Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Pierfrancesco Sacco

Ambassador Sacco assumed duty as the Ambassador of Italy to Croatia in January 2020, and during today’s meeting he pointed out that Croatia and Italy, countries with a deeply intertwined common history, had been building successful bilateral relations for years. “Since we are neighbouring countries, Italian and Croatian companies develop successful business cooperation. Of course, there is always room for progress and I believe that in the future we will also discuss the possibilities to improve cooperation between Italian entrepreneurs and those from Rijeka and the region. According to my knowledge, Italian companies are interested in investing and doing business outside the borders of Italy, and I believe that there would be interest in cooperation with companies from Rijeka”, said Ambassador Sacco.

The Ambassador was accompanied by the Consul General of the Italian Republic in Rijeka, Davide Bradanini, and the Consul General’s Assistant Ileana Jančić.