Rome: In the framework of her official visit to Italy, Speaker of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani Parliament) Sahiba Gafarova engaged in discussions with members of the European Union Policy Commission of the Italian Senate and the Italy-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group. The Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis relayed this information to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Senator Giulio Terzi welcomed Speaker Gafarova and expressed hope that her visit would further the development of bilateral relations. He extended condolences on behalf of Italy for the 35th anniversary of the 20 January Tragedy and the plane crash of 25 December 2024, highlighting the condolences offered by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani as symbols of the two nations’ friendship.
Speaker Gafarova, in response, expressed gratitude for the reception and emphasized the robust ties between Azerbaijan and Italy. The discussion noted the importance of reciprocal visits in strengthening these relations, citing President Ilham Aliyev’s visits to Italy and the Italian President’s visit to Azerbaijan as pivotal in enhancing bilateral ties.
The meeting underscored successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy, particularly in economic sectors such as transport and energy. The positive trajectory of humanitarian collaborations was also discussed, with special mention of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s projects in Italy and the significance of the Azerbaijan-Italy University as a source of pride for Italians in Azerbaijan.
Environmental protection emerged as a key topic, with Italy’s Prime Minister’s participation in COP29 demonstrating Italy’s commitment to the issue. The Italian side expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan’s organization of COP29, acknowledging the conference’s success as a result of Azerbaijan’s proactive approach. Ongoing negotiations on environmental issues reflect the European Union’s keen interest in this area.
Speaker Gafarova highlighted the role of mutual friendship groups in fostering inter-parliamentary relations and stressed the importance of increasing reciprocal visits to counter misinformation about Azerbaijan in Europe. Marco Scuria, head of the Italy-Azerbaijan Friendship Group, spoke on the potential for further developing bilateral relations and expressed concern about the biased views towards Azerbaijan in the PACE.
The meeting concluded with an interactive session, where Speaker Gafarova addressed questions regarding Azerbaijan-Italy relations, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy priorities, the South Caucasus situation, and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.