This morning in the Magistral Palace, Ambassador Stefano Ronca, Secretary General for Foreign Affairs of the Sovereign Order of Malta, received Celia Kuningas-Saagpakk, Ambassador of Estonia to Italy, for the exchange of note verbales establishing the formal opening of bilateral diplomatic relations. Also taking part in the meeting were the Grand Chancellor, Albrecht Boeselager, and the Receiver of the Common Treasure, János Esterházy de Galántha.

During the talks, satisfaction was expressed for this important act that strengthens dialogue and bilateral cooperation. The unavoidable topic of the Coronavirus emergency was also extensively examined. From today, Italy is subject to particularly strict measures to combat the spread of the virus and Estonia has unfortunately had to record its first case. “We’re all in the same boat,” the Estonian ambassador commented in perfect Italian. The position of the Tallinn government in the European Union and in NATO, of which it has been a member since 2004, was also discussed: “We are stronger when we are united,” Ambassador Kuningas-Saagpakk emphasized.

With Estonia – a country with a predominately Christian population of 1.3 million – the Sovereign Order of Malta now entertains diplomatic relations with 110 states.