“The President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou and President Sergio Mattarella have had a telephone conversation in which they expressed strong concern over the climate emergency,” said the statement.
“Sakellaropoulou stressed the need for a joint initiative by Southern European countries to tackle climate risks in the Mediterranean,” it continued.
“Mattarella responded positively to the proposal. Greece and Italy can create a joint front to raise awareness among the EU, other Mediterranean countries and the international community in order to act more quickly and effectively.”
Greece has been battling devastating wildfires driven by intense heat on the islands of Evia, Corfu and Rhodes.
Italy is in the grips of a combination of wildfires in the southern regions of Sicily and Puglia, fuelled by intense heat and strong southerly winds, and extreme bad weather with thunderstorms, gales and hail in the north.
In northern regions the situation improved on Wednesday.
ANSA
