Sergio Mattarella

Italy has thrown its weight behind Bulgaria's bid for full-fledged membership in the Schengen area, affirming its steadfast support during Italian President Sergio Mattarella's two-day visit to Bulgaria.

The European Union should allow more legal migration into its borders to stop people trafficking, Italian President Sergio Mattarella said on Friday, amid a surge in arrivals by sea to his country.

Italy prepared to say farewell to former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi Wednesday, with thousands of people expected at the billionaire tycoon's state funeral in Milan.

The ceremony for Berlusconi, who died Monday aged 86, will be held in the city's Gothic Duomo cathedral and shown live on big screens in the square.

Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni was named Italian prime minister on Oct. 21, becoming the first woman to head a government in Italy.

Italy's teetering government was thrown a lifeline Thursday after the country's president refused to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, insisting he address parliament in a bid to avoid snap elections.

Italian energy giant Eni signed a memorandum of understanding on May 26 with Algeria's Sonatrach to boost gas exploration in the north African nation, as Rome seeks to reduce its reliance on Russia.

It was penned during a state visit by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Rome, a few weeks after Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi made his own trip to Algiers.

Rome – President Borut Pahor held talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella on Monday evening. EU issues topped the agenda, the president’s office said.

The presidents focused on peace and stability in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood, the need to coordinate post-pandemic economic recovery policies, and the need for debates on the common European future to be more ambitious.

Italy's parties on Jan. 29 voted overwhelmingly for outgoing President Sergio Mattarella to remain for another term, averting the political chaos that a failure to elect his successor could have sparked in the eurozone's third-largest economy.

Ljubljana – The presidents of Slovenia and Italy, Borut Pahor and Sergio Mattarella, will visit Nova Gorica and Gorizia, the cities on each side of the Slovenian-Italian border, next Thursday to hail their title as the 2025 European Capital of Culture. On the occasion Pahor will decorate Mattarella with Slovenia’s top state honour.

On the third day of his visit to Italy, May 28, Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev met with Italian counterpart Sergio Matarella.

The two discussed how to improve economic ties, which have been in some decline due to the pandemic.

Italy is the fourth country in terms of investment in Bulgaria.