Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio has lauded the head of Italy's intelligence services Elisabetta Belloni, calling the career diplomat an "exceptional professional" with "immense attachment to the country's institutions".
"Deep respect and great friendship binds us," Di Maio wrote Tuesday on Facebook after a lunch with Belloni in a central Rome restaurant.
"Today, over lunch I had a pleasant chat with her. Thank you Elisabetta, I fully share your thoughts on our relations," the post continued.
In remarks earlier on Tuesday, Belloni praised Di Maio for his loyalty and lauded their "ever-stronger friendship".
