Sofronijevic: Serbia, Italy to reinstate Belgrade-Trieste railway line

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Aleksandra Sofronijevic met with Italian Deputy PM and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Sofronijevic said Serbia and Italy would be working together on a project of reinstating a Belgrade-Trieste railway line, and announced that Type D (national) visas - which allow for longer stays a single Schengen country - would soon be approved for Serbian professional drivers.

"I would like to express special gratitude for the understanding for the problem faced by professional drivers from Serbia and three other Balkan countries - time spent in the Schengen area. Italy has expressed full understanding regarding approval of the so-called Type D visas, and we agreed that it should take place very soon," Sofronijevic told reporters after meeting with Salvini in the government building.

She noted that, knowing Salvini's energy and perseverance, she believed that good news for Serbian drivers would be announced quite soon.

"That is not only an issue for Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia, but also an issue that is directly impacting economic chains and supply in all other European countries as well. It is a very important issue and I would like to thank you again for the understanding and the assistance offered," Sofronijevic told Salvini.

She noted that they had also discussed a reinstatement of a Belgrade-Trieste railway line.

"We will be working on that in a very concrete manner. This project is included in Serbia's development plan until 2035 and we will be working in a very concrete manner," Sofronijevic said.

Salvini: Italy to help Serbia to overcome all obstacles on EU path

BELGRADE - Italian Deputy PM and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday in Belgrade Italy would help Serbia to overcome all obstacles and difficulties on its EU path, and noted that progress made by Serbia should be acknowledged.

"As far as our further cooperation is concerned, I will say, on behalf of the whole Italian government, that our main priority is to help Serbia on the EU accession path and to overcome all the things that have been obstacles so far, as well as the existing skepticism and difficulties that might have been imposed by someone on that path," Salvini, who is on a two-day visit to Belgrade, said after a meeting with Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Aleksandra Sofronijevic.

He said he was watching Serbia's European path, and noted that the process had been going on for a long time.

"The progress that exists must be acknowledged and a positive conclusion must be reached, and this strategic goal of the Serbian government and Serbia as a state must be achieved. I will really be trying, on behalf of my government, to ensure that a country that is friendly and brotherly to us is not pushed aside on this path in any way and that there are no preferential entries that might be imposed by someone," Salvini said.