President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated the people of Italy on their national holiday - the Day of the Proclamation of the Italian Republic. This was reported by the press service of the head of state.

He stated that in Belarus they value friendship with Italy and strive to preserve it. “Because, as the well-known Italian proverb says, whoever finds a friend has found a treasure,” the President stressed. Lukashenka also named common features that unite Belarusians and Italians. In his opinion, among them are "a reverent attitude towards family and children, devotion to their land, sincerity towards others, friendliness and hospitality."

The head of state expressed confidence in the continuation of "fruitful interaction" between the countries and the multiplication of examples of successful cooperation, in particular in the areas of trade, culture and tourism.

Earlier, Lukashenka congratulated the people of the Netherlands on King's Day. He pointed to the importance of deepening the dialogue between Minsk and Amsterdam, noting that this is in the interests of the Belarusians and the Dutch and is "an element of stability and prosperity in Europe."