His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden received Italian Ambassador Vinicio Mati for a farewell audience at the Royal Palace prior to the conclusion of his mission in Stockholm on grounds of age.
The deep friendship between Italy and Sweden was acknowledged during the conversation, conducted as usual with the utmost cordiality. Further momentum has been given to bilateral cooperation between the two nations in all areas of shared interest during Ambassador Mati’s mandate, with very positive outcomes.
Having recently returned from a visit to the E6 motorway in the north of Sweden where a landslide blocked the traffic at the border with Norway fortunately without casualties, the King raised the issue of hydrogeological instability as a further result of climate change.
The King expressed furthermore his concern for the migration flows, in particular with regards to the illegal migration that is currently hitting Italy. Ambassador Mati, for his part, conveyed the most fervent wishes addressed to the King by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the occasion of the 50th Jubilee of His Majesty’s accession to the throne. King Carl Gustaf is the longest reigning monarch in the history of Sweden.
At the end of the agreeable meeting, Ambassador Vinicio Mati was awarded by the King the title of Commander 1st Class of the Royal Order of the Polar Star as a token of gratitude for his service in enhancing relations between the two countries.
