Alberto Rubio
Italy’s new ambassador to Spain, Giuseppe Buccino, sent out a clearly pro-European message during the first reception for the Italian National Day, which he presided over on Friday after taking up his post, and in which he also expressed his confidence in the imminent Spanish Presidency of the EU.
Buccino identified Libya – where he has served as ambassador until now – and the Mediterranean as the fundamental axes of the security policies of both countries. He therefore stressed that “our synergies must spearhead structural action for security in the Mediterranean” and said he was sure that this coincidence “will blend harmoniously with the full and enthusiastic Europeanism that has always been in the genetic code of Italy and Spain”.
In the context of European security, the ambassador reflected on the “dramatic impact of Russia’s unjustified aggression against Ukraine“, with respect to which he highlighted the “firmness, unity and solidarity” with which Europe has reacted in support of “the legitimate defence of the sovereignty, independence and freedom of the Ukrainian people” and whose objective is “to reach a just peace as soon as possible”.
Giuseppe Buccino also dedicated his speech to expressing his closeness and condolences to the families of the victims of the recent floods in the Emilia-Romagna region.
Bilateral relations
After recalling the words of the Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani – “Spain is the country closest to Italy” – Buccino insisted on the profound relationship that unites the two countries. To illustrate this, he listed the high-level visits that have taken place over the last year, both by Italian government representatives to Spain and by Spaniards to Italy, beginning with the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, who met with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, in Rome on 5 April.
The ambassador announced that many more meetings will take place throughout this year. One of the most important will be the symposium that will bring together the heads of state of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Spain, Felipe VI, and Italy, Sergio Matarella, in Palermo at the end of June.
“Our exchanges, despite the pandemic, have not stopped growing,” he said, referring to bilateral trade relations, which reached 62 billion euros in 2022, an increase of 21% compared to 2021. “That,” he added, “makes Italy Spain’s third largest trading partner and Spain our fourth largest”, while Italy is the second largest foreign investor in Spain and “our reciprocal investments continue to grow”.
In the presence of Marco Bucci, Mayor of Genoa – the guest of honour at the reception – the Ambassador welcomed the infrastructure plans presented in Madrid and encouraged the guests to visit the Italian city and to sample its gastronomic offer, of which there was a wide variety at the reception.
