Radin spoke to the press to comment on the Italian parliament's decision to amend the law on citizenship enabling ethnic Italians in Slovenia and Croatia to qualify for Italian citizenship. He said he was proud of the decision, underlining that the amendments had been expected and prepared for a dozen years and were the fruit of years of work and lobbying.
Radin said the amendments would enable young ethnic Italians in Croatia, unlike older generations, to acquire Italian citizenship, which will facilitate their position as they travel, study and work in Italy.
Commenting on remarks that the amendments were not regulated by a Croatian-Italian agreement, Radin recalled that Croatia in the 1990s granted citizenship to 1.2 million people around the world and did so unilaterally.
Speaking at the same press conference, Italian Union president Mautizio Tremul thanked all political forces, parties and associations which had made it possible for the amendments to be unanimously adopted in the Italian parliament. He said that by helping the Italian national minority, Italy was helping not only the Croatian counties in which they live but the entire Croatia.
Tremul said that Croatia, by respecting minority rights, complied with European standards and terms required to join the European Union.
Speaking on the Italian Union's behalf, Tremul supported the holding of a meeting of the presidents of Italy, Croatia and Slovenia, which he said would symbolically close the historical chapter of WWII and contribute to a united and integral Europe.
He estimated that there is a total of about 20,000 Italian citizens in Croatia and Slovenia, and recalled that the Italian Union has about 33,000 members in Croatia and Slovenia, while only 10,000 hold Italian citizenship.
Radin also commented on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's statement that Italy would block Croatia's accession to the EU unless it paid damages to esuli, Italians who left Croatia for Italy toward the end of WWII.
He said the esuli issue should be treated separately from EU accession but added that Italians should be enabled to buy real estate in Croatia on the reciprocity principle, as is the case with Austrian, Belgian, German and other citizens.