ROME: France's President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday praised Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, saying that Europe was "very fortunate" to have him among its leaders.
He also praised Italy for its "excellent" management of the migration crisis in the Mediterranean and urged its authorities to keep up their efforts.
"Europe has been very fortunate to have Gentiloni in this role," Macron told journalists at a press conference after a meeting here with Gentiloni, who Italians consider most trustworthy politician, according to opinion polls.
"Italy is entering the run-up to elections and I would like to stress how happy I have been to work with Gentiloni," he said, referring to upcoming national elections on March 4.
"But it's up to the Italian people to express themselves (at the ballot box)," he said.
Macron lauded Gentiloni's actions in Italy and Europe, especially during Italy's G7 presidency and membership of the United Nations Security Council in 2017, saying they had "enabled a new dynamic at European level".
"We were able to go forward in difficult times," he said.
Macron also lauded Italy's "excellent work in countering the destabilising effect of the migratory phenomenon".
"Italy has been able to stabilise an extremely critical situation...I respect it for the work is has done and for the quality of this work," he said at the press conference.
"The migration crisis is not over, and there are still very significant flows occurring," Macron said, urging "determination, efficiency and humanity" in handling the ongoing migration to Europe.