Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on 27 and 28 May paid a working visit to Montenegro, where he met with his Montenegrin counterpart Ranko Krivokapić and representatives of the Croat community.
The two ministers exchanged views on topical matters – war in Ukraine and geo-economic rearrangements, European future of the Western Balkans and the steps needed to speed up Montenegro’s EU accession.
Grlić Radman and Krivokapić agreed that Croatia and Montenegro’s relations were good and partner-like, with solid cooperation within a number of regional and international organizations.
Grlić Radman stressed that Croatia would continue to offer Montenegro concrete technical assistance and the transfer of experiences from the EU accession process. “We are convinced that the Montenegrin government will continue working to meet the remaining criteria from Chapters 23 and 24”, the minister said, hopeful that the current geopolitical situation would kick-start the EU enlargement policy and that Montenegro, as a country that has made the most headway on that journey, would know how to utilize that opportunity.
Grlić Radman and Krivokapić also discussed Euro-Atlantic partnership, boosting regional cooperation, harmonizing views concerning outstanding bilateral issues and protecting the Croat minority.
“It is important to open dialogue and address outstanding issues in the spirit of mutual respect and good neighbourliness and within the framework of international law. That implies the resolution of the fate of missing persons and prosecuting war crimes,” said Grlić Radman, adding that that also involves the problem of border demarcation and the ownership of the Jadran training ship.
He underscored satisfaction that the new Montenegrin government contained minorities, including Minister Adrian Vuksanović as a representative of the Croat community. “It is an important message of respect for the rights of minorities and an important mechanism in their affirmation,” Grlić Radman said, adding that the two countries were obligated to jointly nurture the historic and cultural heritage of Boka Kotorska Croats.
As part of a two-day visit to Montenegro, Grlić Radman will also meet with Croatian representatives, the minister without a portfolio and president of the Croatian Civic Initiative party, Adrian Vuksanović, and the president of the Croatian National Council, Zvonimir Deković.
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