PODGORICA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Montenegro this year, announced the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu said after a meeting with his Montenegrin counterpart Srđan Darmanović in Podgorica, CdM reports.
Çavuşoğlu is clear: Montenegro is a very stable country in the region and an ally of Turkey.
During the meeting, the two ministers stressed that political relations between the two countries were excellent and economic relations were improving day by day.
“We have excellent political relations and economic relations are improving day by day. Montenegro will soon become a full member of NATO. Turkey expressed its sincere support for Montenegro in this process. We will continue to support Montenegro after it joins the alliance,” Çavuşoğlu said, reports Anadolu Agency.
He announced that President Erdogan would visit Montenegro this year.
“We must launch all mechanisms to further improve our cooperation. Our companies have shown interest in the industry in Montenegro. Trade between Turkey and Montenegro amounts to around 75 million euros. I think this is not enough – so we need to increase exports, but also our production. On the other hand, there is cultural cooperation. There is the Yunus Emre cultural center, which operates successfully. Similarly, there are around 300 Montenegrin students in Turkey. As for TIKA, we are aware of the support it provides to Montenegro. It allocated most of its funds to Montenegro – around 6 million euros,” the Turkish minister said.
He stressed that Montenegro was a very stable country in the region.
“Montenegro is a model country. We are satisfied with his achievements. Montenegro is our ally,” said Çavuşoğlu.
He added that stability in the Balkans is not only important for the region, but also for the whole of Europe and Turkey.
“Everyone must support the stability of the region. Last year, Montenegro faced challenges… there was a coup attempt. Turkey, which experienced a similar problem, is a country that understands the situation. Montenegro’s membership in NATO is therefore important. Everything that happens in the Western Balkans affects Europe,” he said.
Darmanović said that Çavuşoğlu’s visit was important because it represented a step towards intensifying political dialogue between Montenegro and Turkey.
“During the meeting, we concluded that bilateral relations between the two countries are excellent. There is a high degree of mutual understanding and a period of strengthening cooperative relations, especially in the economic field, is coming. In this regard, a series of agreements must be signed. In addition, the Montenegrin-Turkish Ankara club will be established. Thus, the trade partnership between the two countries will be strengthened,” Darmanović said.
He stressed that Montenegro is very interested in attracting Turkish investments and further improving relations with Turkey in the fields of energy, tourism, agriculture and industry.
