Italian President Sergio Mattarella opened on Thursday the meeting of the heads of the lower houses of parliament of the G7 countries, which will be held until Saturday in Verona, Italy.
“This event enriches the international calendar of parliamentary diplomacy with the opportunity for dialogue between democracies, which at this historical stage is of decisive importance for the future of our societies. Democracy, freedom and peace are values that find their origin and protection in parliamentary institutions.” — Mattarella said at the opening ceremony, after which he went on to criticize Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The President’s statements are published by his office on the website.
The President stressed that cooperation is necessary because “no country can solve the problems of migration, security, artificial intelligence and economy alone.”
“Democracy is a daily task and no one understands it better than those who work in parliaments.” said Mattarella.
The main events of the meeting will take place on Friday. The Prime Minister of Italy will deliver speeches before the start of the working sessions. Giorgi MeloniPresident of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament Lorenzo Fontana and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslana Stefanchuk. Topics discussed during the working sessions included access to strategic resources, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and issues in Africa and the Mediterranean.
