Minister Gordan Jandroković pays official visit to Montenegro

Minister Jandroković and Minister Roćen exchanged opinions about the possibilities of further developing and deepening the bilateral relations, as well as about solving the outstanding issues between the two countries. Minister Jandroković expressed Croatia’s willingness to develop diverse and intensive relations with Montenegro, based on the principles of equality and reciprocity, as well as to support Montenegro in its approaching the Euro-Atlantic integration, which will facilitate a lasting strengthening of the two countries’ co-operation, in the interest of peace, stability, and growth.

The two ministers discussed and welcomed the continuation of the cross-border co-operation on the joint tri-state projects area (BiH, Croatia, Montenegro), and agreed that the signing of the Statement on Cross-Border Co-operation in the Event of Natural and Other Disasters as well as in Natural Resources Management by representatives of the region and the three countries’ local authorities opened up a framework for perspective forms of co-operation.

In a press statement, Minister Jandroković pointed out that Croatia will offer all of the necessary aid to Montenegro in its approaching the Euro-Atlantic integration as the strongest guarantee of peace and stability in Eeurope’s South East. He also said that he arranged with Minister Roćen for Croatia to provide consular services to the Montenegrin citizen in those countries in which Montenegro is yet to have its own consulate.

He pointed out that Croatian companies are willing to take part in the privatisation and building of the necessary transport infrastructure and tourist accommodation capacities, and that the Croatian Airlines’ regular route, to be set mid-June, will also provide a strong incentive for a further development of the bilateral relations. In that regard, he announced a meeting between the economic co-operation business counsels of the two countries’ ministries of economy, to be held in June in Podgorica. He also announced the soon signing of the Agreement on Minorities.

Asked by the press to comment on the results of the elections in Serbia, the two ministers pointed out that they welcome the fact that most of the votes at the parliamentary elections had been won by the pro-European forces.

Communicating his impressions from the meetings with the Montenegrin officials, Minister Jandroković said that he received a guarantee that Croatian companies are welcome in Montenegro, a country with a dozen billion € worth of transport and tourist infrastructure tenders.

He also emphasised that it is a joint position that the agreement on the founding of a mixed commission to prepare the legal framework for solving the border issues between Croatia and Montenegro has a special importance in the two countries’ relations.

He also stressed that the development of good-neighbourly relations contributes to the stability and security of Europe’s South East.