How the Italians switched over from monarchy to republic, how the Italians and Moldovans “conquered” each other in time, how these appraise each other, how the Moldovans got to receive Italian pension, how 5,000 Moldovan entrepreneurs do business in Italy, how the Italian businesspeople feel in Moldova, why the Chief of the Italian Defense General Staff comes to Moldova in two days, what the Moldovan culture learns from the Italian one that, besides direct spiritual effects, also produces about €250 billion a year? Answers to these and other questions can be found in an interview given to Valeriu Vasilica by His Excellence, Ambassador of Italy Valeria Biagiotti on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the Italian Republic.
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- To begin with, tell us please in brief where does the 72nd anniversary of the Italian Republic derive from?

- By our National Day, we remember June 2, 1946, which was the date of a referendum held shortly after the end of World War II and where most of the Italians pronounced in favor of a Republic. Until then Italy was actually a monarchy.

- To better understand the current state of the Moldovan-Italian relations, I think we should yet remain in the historical landscape: Long ago the Romans, who are the direct ancestors of the current Italians, conquered the territories that are now populated by Moldovans. But it was a somehow strange conquest as the conquerors started to be proud of it. Our chroniclers hundreds of years ago wrote “We come from Rym (Rome)”. Roman emperor Trajan, the conqueror, is described in our works of art as a model of bravery and patriotism. It seems we now witness a kind of “inverse conquest”, if we can call so the big migration of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to Italy during the past over two decades. We will speak now not about the reasons for this migration, but about how our Moldovans are welcomed in the contemporary Italy.

- The Moldovan citizens who settled in Italy are generally well integrated and appreciated by the Italian population. Almost 70% of these are women who work mainly in the field of home care services for elderly and sick people. At the same time, the number of Moldovan entrepreneurs has increased continuity, to 5 000 at present. These operate mainly in the building sector, trade and transport. Progressive integration takes place in all the directions. For example, in 2015 there were registered 781 marriages between Italians and Moldovans, 95% of these being marriages between Italian men and Moldovan women.

- On the other hand, there are also rather many Italians who live in the Republic of Moldova now, compared with the same over past two decades. How do the Italians who settled and work in Moldova feel?

- In Moldova, there are about 500 Italians registered officially, plus as many who travel between Italy and the Republic of Moldova, also owing to the frequent connections that unite Chisinau and the main Italian cities, especially the northern ones.

The Italians who moved here made this choice for family or professional reasons. Indeed, over 1,300 enterprises with Italian or mixed Moldovan-Italian capital are officially registered in Moldova, even if a part of them are no longer active.

Those who come here for family reasons and have, consequently, a connection with Moldovan society, as the others, do not experience problems in feeling here at home owing to the linguistic affiliation and the hospitality of the Moldavan people. Also, we witness a growing phenomenon when Italian citizens come to live in Moldova when they retire, as in other countries like Portugal, for the reason that the living costs here are lower than in Italy.

- Could you speak about the Italians running businesses in the Republic of Moldova? How do they assess the conditions of doing business here?

- Without doubt, during the last few years we witnessed an improvement in the business climate and attractiveness of the Republic of Moldova in terms of investments owing to such important innovations as the creation of free economic zones and reduction in the number of authorizations needed to start an activity. As the European authorities signaled and reminded repeatedly, critical deficiencies related to justice and corruption continue to exist. 

- An attentive observer can realize that the Embassy of Italy takes care of the business climate on both sides of the Nistru River probably more than other embassies working in Chisinau. Why Italy? What interests and special capacities does it have in this regard?

- Italy is one of the main economic and commercial partners of the Republic of Moldova and, consequently, is interested in any initiative designed to improve the business climate. Furthermore, as the history of the European Union that started together with the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community shows, the realization of economic interests with the aim of guaranteeing a growth in the living standards of the population is an important step in achieving bigger political convergence.

I think you refer especially to the Embassy’s participation, alongside the Moldovan-Italian Chamber of Commerce, in the United Nations (UNDP) Support to Confidence Building Measures Program that is designed to increase the level of confidence among the population from both sides of the Nistru, by strengthening cooperation between business entities and improving the employment level and the living conditions.

As you know, this year Italy holds the OSCE Chairmanship in Office. Consequently, it works actively, through the agency of Special Representative Franco Frattini, to ensure progress in the Transnistrian settlement process. A fruitful meeting in the 5+2 format took place in Rome recently and I was honored to take part in this. This ended with the commitment to fulfil all the aspects of the “package of eight” by the end of this year. We cider this result is very encouraging.  

- Would it be right to assert that Italy is also a non-official representative, or maybe official, of the NATO in the Republic of Moldova in terms of the cooperation in international security? The conclusion also derives from the role of host or special partner played by Italy in the Moldovan peacekeeping missions of the Kosovo Force (KFOR). Also, Italy is among the few countries that recently offered the National Army military equipment. What is Italy’s interest in this field?

- Italy is delighted to host and to contribute to the presence of a platoon of Moldovan soldiers within the Multinational Battle Group West of the KFOR Mission in Kosovo, which is commanded by this. We appreciate and support Moldova’s wish to contribute to stability and security in Europe. The Chief of the Italian Defense General Staff will come to Moldova on June 8 to take part in the ceremony of departure of a new contingent of Moldovan soldiers. The recent donation of military equipment for Moldova’s army is another gesture of the progressive cooperation.

I would like, on this occasion, to note the cooperation that exists between the Carabineer Forces of Moldova and Italy that led to the appointment of an Italian liaison officer, Colonel Mauro Conte, as an adviser to the General Command of the Carabineer Troops in Moldova.

A number of initiatives were implemented, including courses and fact-finding visits to support the Moldovan carabineers in the reformation and modernization of the own body.

Finally, I’m very satisfied because we could contribute to the organization of an Italian language course for 35 Moldovan carabineers that will lead to even closer cooperation.

- This kind of Italian assistance benefits only particular circles of people in the Republic of Moldova, but an agreement between our countries that was recently initialed can refer to large and very large circles. Under this agreement, the Moldovans who work in Italy will benefit from pensions from the Italian state. What is the Italian state’s interest in this case as this implies additional costs that Italy could have refused to incur?

- This agreement is definitely a very important step, being also the first agreement in the field initialed by Italy after many years. It proves once again the importance we attach to the relations between the two states and the positive role that the Moldovan community plays in Italy.

This is, among others, an agreement designed to facilitate the already existing mechanisms owing to which not only the Moldovans who remain in Italy, but also those who return to the Republic of Moldova can already benefit from an Italian pension even if they paid contributions during only several years.

This measure, which is often used by the Moldovan citizens who return to their native country, enables to keep those rights accumulated while working, even in the case of short insurance periods. Therefore, it is very important that the Moldovan workers in Italy should be included in the Italian system of social insurance.

- The Embassy of Italy has a very wide range of preoccupations in culture in the Republic of Moldova. Why?

- Culture is an extraordinary integration factor, especially in a context of powerful cultural and linguistic affiliation like the one that characterizes our countries. For this reason, we promoted a number of initiatives in this regard so as to also spread further knowledge of the Italian language in Moldova.

Among the most recent initiatives, I would mention the donation of over 1,800 volumes in the Italian language that come from a private donation to the National Library of Moldova.

The promotion of the Italian culture also means valorization of the concept “Life in Italian Style” and of the sectors of excellence, such as the Italian cuisine and design, which were transposed by organizing the Italian Cuisines Week and the Italian Design Day. These are important occasions, including for promoting our economy and excellences.  

- The Republic of Moldova is among the few countries that has a national language day. Italy also has such a holiday. Our holiday appeared with the declaration of the country’s Independence to protect the Romanian language after this was wronged on the conditions of the former Soviet Union. What is the purpose of your holiday as your language hasn’t been so wronged as ours?

- We do not have a Italian language holiday in the true meaning of the word. However, as of 2001, each year we have celebrated the Italian language week to promote it all over the world. Even if Italian is spoken in only four states (Italy, Switzerland, San Marino and Vatican), two of which are very small in size, it is one of the most studied languages in the world (according to the data for 2014/2015, the foreigners who study it numbered 2 233 373 ).

And this is because it is actually a language associated with culture. It is enough to think about music and melodrama and abut the language of reference for fashion and design.

It is also the language of one of the ten big world economies and of the second manufacturing reality in Europe.

It was estimated that if we put together all the sectors related to the Italian culture, the cultural sector produces about €250 billion, which is 16.7% of the Gross Domestic Product of Italy.  

- How can the Moldovan-Italian relations be influenced by the results of the recent parliamentary elections held in your country? Given Moldova’s orientating to the European Union, we would like to know the eventual changes in Italy’s place and role in the EU, if these take place?

- The new Italian government was formed only several days ago. However, I don’t think the election outcome could influence somehow the solid Italian-Moldovan relations.

- Who is Ambassador Valeria Biagiotti outside this official post?

- I think there is no difference between the official post and the private life, if we refer to my values, my sensibility and my interest in other persons, my devotion and the passion I put in everything I do, starting evidently with my work.

Besides, in the private life I’m a discreet person who is not interested in staying in the light of reflectors, who likes to stay with the family and to discover new places and people.

Even if I lived in such large cities as Paris, Rome and New York, my ideal place to which I try to return every time I can is a small locality in Toscana called Pienza, from where a part of my family derives.

Two of my big passions are: running – and I’m very proud I could run in the New York City Marathon in which I hope I will take part this year too, and diving – a passion I share with my husband. We adore the quietness and calmness of the subaquatic world.