At a meeting with Italian Minister of Economic Development Adolfo Urso held on Wednesday in Belgrade Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic expressed hope that new Italian investments will be realized in Serbia in the coming period thanks to the great potential and exceptional political and strategic ties between Serbia and Italy.

The Prime Minister stressed that Serbia is Italy’s largest foreign trade partner in the Western Balkans, with a record trade balance in the past year, said a press release issued by the Serbian Government.

She added that Italy is an important economic and investment partner, and that its companies in Serbia currently employ some 50 thousand people.

The production of the first electric car in Serbia starts next year thanks to cooperation with the Italian company Stellantis and this will be an additional impetus for the Serbian economy, but also for the advancement of relations between the two countries, the Prime Minister said.

She pointed out that the areas of information technology and artificial intelligence, digital and green transition and sustainable agriculture were assessed as particularly important for the further deepening of cooperation.

Brnabic expressed the expectation that cooperation will be established in the field of biotechnology, and above all, in the scientific sector, between the two countries’ universities and scientific institutes.

Minister Urso said Serbia and Italy have a long tradition of friendly relations, which is a solid basis for Italy’s further support for Serbia’s European path, said the press release.

In the light of the fact that Italy provides exceptional support for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, some of which are world leaders, the Italian minister expressed interest in partnership with Serbia and Serbian companies, said the press release.

He also mentioned energy security, primarily in the field of hydropower development, as one of the most important sectors for cooperation.