Italy-Serbia, new intermodal corridor to increase trade

(ANSA) - CAPRIVA DEL FRIULI, 15 SET - Offering a new intermodal connection between Serbia and Italy to develop new trade flows to and from both countries. This is the goal of the Italian-Serbian corridor promoted by the Alpe Adria company, which kicked off today at Villa Russiz in Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia) in the presence of the Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, Serbian Secretary of State Mihajlo Mišić, and FVG Regional Councillor for Infrastructure Cristina Amirante.
    The new corridor between Italy, the European Union, and the Western Balkans, which will be launched at the end of September, was promoted by the Alpe Adria company, an intermodal "booster" with headquarters in Trieste, to better support production companies from territories that interact with each other, including through the hubs of Friuli Venezia Giulia and central Serbia (Belgrade).
    The presentation of the initiative, for the launch of which a protocol was signed today, was the occasion for a wide-ranging debate on the new frontiers of logistics and intermodality moderated by journalist Sebastiano Barisoni, deputy executive director of Radio24.
    Alpe Adria's CEO explained, "At the end of September 2023, freight train departures will be started between Cervignano, as a relaunch gateway to the regions of central and northern Italy and northern Europe, and Belgrade, to transport manufactured goods produced in northeastern Italy useful for the construction of major civil works in Serbia." "FVG has a strong vocation towards the Balkans; therefore, strengthening relations with Serbia and with countries of the former Yugoslavia has not only an economic and commercial outcome but also a function of stabilizing political relations in the interest of our region and Italy,," said Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani.
    "The launch of new rail links between the Cervignano del Friuli Freight Village and Serbia," commented FVG Regional Councillor Amirante, "opens a new door for our region regarding its ability to be a strategic logistics hub in Europe.
    "The most important thing is the partnership between the region and Friuli Venezia Giulia and Serbia to strengthen especially the cooperation between Serbian and Italian small businessmen," Serbian Deputy Minister Secretary of State Mihajlo Mišić added, "to strengthen our interchange and this can only be done with a strong infrastructure like this corridor." (ANSA).