King: Italy indispensable

Italy is indispensable for 'stability, strength and resilience of Europe.

The Netherlands realizes that much of Italy is being asked in these times, the king said. 'The seriousness of the migration issue is an example of this.' On Wednesday, the royal couple looks at the migration crisis's follow-up in Sicily.

The pair was received by President Matarella, himself a Sicilian. He thanked the Netherlands for the commitment and cooperation in the European Union, NATO and the UN, where our country with Italy has a seat in the Security Council.

Willem-Alexander kept his speech light. He recalled Tom Dumoulin's profit in the Giro d'Italia. 'On Italian territory,' the king noted faintly.