Vucic: Meloni's upcoming visit to Serbia important

DUBAI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday Italian PM Giorgia Meloni would come to Belgrade in less than two days and that her visit would be important for bilateral ties and for bringing in more investors, as well as for bilateral political ties and Italy's further support to Serbia's progress on the EU path.

"I think Meloni will be coming to Belgrade straight from here, without going to Rome first. I saw people from her team, and we will see her in Serbia in two days," Vucic told reporters in Dubai, where he is attending the COP28 climate change summit.

He said Italy was Serbia's second most important economic partner in the EU and its third most important partner overall.

"They are also an important political partner to us. They have helped us on our EU path whenever they were able to," Vucic said.

Earlier, Vucic also said a date for his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would be set next year.

"Our two countries are friends," Vucic said after a meeting with Lukashenko in Dubai.

"We discussed our bilateral relations and the situation in Ukraine," he said.

Vucic also met with European Council President Charles Michel, Indian PM Narendra Modi and the presidents of Hungary, Poland, Cuba and several African states, as well as with Western Balkan leaders and IMF and EBRD officials.