Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is starting today a two-day working visit to Italy to attend a third joint meeting of the national governments of Romania and Italy, 13 years after the previous edition.
According to the schedule released by the Romanian government, Ciolacu will also have talks with Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and go on an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
At the beginning of his visit to Rome, Ciolacu and his official retinue meet the Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Riccardo Paterno di Montecupo.
Next, a meeting with the mayor of the Italian capital, Roberto Gualtieri, and a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy are scheduled.
On Thursday, the joint meeting of the Romanian and Italian governments is scheduled, with the objective of capitalising on the enhanced strategic partnership between the two countries and further boosting co-operation at bilateral, European and Euro-Atlantic levels.
Part of the meeting, an updated statement on the enhanced strategic partnership will be signed establishing co-operation priorities moving forward based on convergence of interests between the two countries, as well as several bilateral sectoral co-operation documents in areas such as entrepreneurship and SMEs, tourism, civil protection.
On the sidelines of the governmental meeting on Thursday, a Romanian-Italian business forum will also take place, with the participation of several ministers from the official retinue accompanying Ciolacu in Rome.
After an audience with the pope, Ciolacu will also meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state.
The governmental retinue includes Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacsu; Minister of Home Affairs Catalin Predoiu; Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu; Minister of National Defence Angel Tilvar; Minister of Foreign Affairs Luminita Odobescu, and Minister of the Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Radu Oprea.