Slovenia has opened a consulate in Naples, south Italy, to promote the development of economic, cultural and science relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The new consulate, headed by Jacopo Fronzoni as honorary consul, was launched on 13 January, the Foreign Ministry announced on Twitter.
The consulate expands Slovenia’s network of diplomatic and consular offices in Italy. These include the embassy in Rome and consulates general in Trieste and Milan.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s website, Slovenia also has consulates in Bolzano, Florence and Palermo, which are headed by honorary consuls.
Under a government decree published in the Official Gazette in December, Slovenia will also open a consulate in Bari in south Italy that will cover the regions Apulia and Molise. It will be headed by honorary consul Ferdinando Parente.
Merchandise trade between Slovenia and Italy has been increasing steadily in recent years, except for 2020, the year hit hardest by Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns, follows from data available on the website of Slovenia’s SPIRIT agency.
Slovenia’s exports to its western neighbour amounted to €4.17 billion and imports to €4.80 billion in 2021 with the trade gap at €623 million.
Between January and October 2022 exports rose to €4.76 billion and imports to €5.48 billion for a total €10.24 billion in bilateral volume of trade, substantially more than the annual volume recorded in any year since 2016.
Photo: STA