In the format of the current official visit to Italy, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Members of the European Union Policy Commission of the Italian Senate and the Italy-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Welcoming the Speaker, Senator Giulio Terzi expressed confidence that this visit would contribute to the development of bilateral relations. He once again offered condolences to the Speaker of the Milli Majlis on the 35^th anniversary of the 20 January Tragedy and the plane crash of 25 December 2024. The Senator noted that the condolences expressed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani regarding the plane crash are a vivid example of the friendship between the two countries.

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova expressed her gratitude for the warm reception and highlighted the high level of Azerbaijan-Italy relations. It was emphasised during the discussion that reciprocal visits play a significant role in further strengthening ties. President Ilham Aliyev's visits to Italy, including his visit in September last year, as well as the Italian President’s visit to Azerbaijan, were described as instrumental in expanding and deepening bilateral relations.

The conversation underscored the fruitful co-operation between Azerbaijan and Italy in various fields, with discussions focusing on economic collaboration, particularly in transport and energy. The positive development of relations in the humanitarian sphere was also highlighted, especially the importance of projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Italy. The activities of the Azerbaijan-Italy University were also noted, with members of the commission stating that the university is a source of great pride and honour for every Italian visiting Azerbaijan.

It was said that environmental protection is one of the key topics of discussion between the parties. The participation of Italy's Prime Minister in the COP29 also demonstrated Italy's strong focus on this issue.

The Italian side expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan, particularly to President Ilham Aliyev, for the high level of organisation and hosting of the COP29. It was stressed that the successful outcome of the conference and the achievement of significant results were a direct result of Azerbaijan's proactive stance. Currently, negotiations on environmental matters are ongoing, reflecting the European Union's interest in this area.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis highlit the role of the mutual friendship groups in the development of relations between the parliaments of the two countries and emphasised the importance of increasing the frequency of reciprocal visits in this context. According to the Speaker, enhancing the intensity of such visits will help present more accurate information to the public, especially amid the spread of false news about Azerbaijan in Europe.

Head of the Italy-Azerbaijan Friendship Group for Interparliamentary Relations Marco Scuria shared his thoughts on the prospects for further developing bilateral relations. He expressed concern over the biased stance towards Azerbaijan displayed in the PACE.

The meeting was continued interactively with the Speaker of the Milli Majlis responding to the questions from the opposing side regarding Azerbaijan-Italy relations, Azerbaijan's foreign policy priorities, the current situation in the South Caucasus region, and the process of normalising relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis