Eerste werkbezoek EP-voorzitter Schulz zal aan Italië zijn (en)

The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz i will make his official visit to Italy from the 23-25 February 2012. President Schulz will meet the Italian authorities in Rome and also travel to Bologna to commemorate the victims of the Marzabotto massacre.

Ahead of the visit, EP President Martin Schulz said:

"I wish to demonstrate the European Parliament's support for the enormous efforts of the Italian people and its government to tackle the crisis and re-launch the Italian economy. I also want to pay tribute to the unconditional commitment to Europe of the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano and Prime Minister Mario Monti i."

President Martin Schulz will be in Rome on Thursday 23 February to meet the Italian authorities as follows:

11:30am Meeting with Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic - Palazzo Quirinale 13:00 Meeting with Gianfranco Fini, Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, followed by press point - Palazzo Montecitorio 15:30 Meeting with Renato Schifani, Speaker of the Italian Senate, followed by press point - Palazzo Giustiniani 17:00 Meeting with Mario Monti, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, followed by a press conference - Palazzo Chigi

On Friday 24 February at 10:30am, the President will visit the "Porta Futuro" employment centre in Rome and will meet the representatives of the National Youth Forum (Forum Nazionale della Gioventú) to discuss the themes of employment, education and work.

This meeting will be web-streamed on the website www.forumnazionalegiovani.it and people can ask questions to President Schulz via Twitter, using the hashtag #giovanischulz.

On Friday at 18.30, President Schulz will be in Bologna for the opening of the "Renzo Imbeni" centre.

Finally, on Saturday 25 February from 9:00am, President Schulz will take part in a ceremony to remember the victims of the Marzabotto massacre. He will meet survivors, resistance members, students and the local authorities in the City Hall. President Schulz will then lay a wreath at the Monte Sole memorial.