Montenegro and Italy ready to enhance economic cooperation

Podgorica, Montenegro (21 Septembar 2012) – During his official visit to Italy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nebojša Kaluđerović met with his Italian counterpart Julio Terci on Thursday.

The two heads of diplomacy voiced satisfaction with the excellent bilateral cooperation, adding that there is still a wide range of areas where it is possible and necessary to boost economic ties especially in the fields of energy, sustainable development and transport infrastructure.

The Montenegrin Government is ready to fully engage in all areas of common interest, especially in overcoming certain problems in the field of energy cooperation. He also stressed the need to finalise bilateral agreements in culture, science, education, health care and to consolidate the agreement basis. He voiced satisfaction with the announcement that Italy is to terminate the internal legal procedure with the aim of ratifying the Intergovernmental Agreement on Strategic Cooperation, signed in 2010, which will lead to wider and more concrete cooperation between the two states' institutions.

The two officials agreed that it is necessary to further enhance regional cooperation. It is time to start realising the strategy of building EU Adriatic-Ionian macro-region, which is additionaly to enhance ties between the members of Adriatic-Jonic initiative, the two foreign ministers concluded.