Press release: Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met with Belgian Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro Denise de Hauwere

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met in Podgorica today with newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the State Union, Mrs Denise de Hauwere, who is making an official visit to Montenegro.

Having welcomed Mrs de Hauwere, the Prime Minister said that the two counties maintained high-level political dialogue, as a good basis for further strengthening of different forms of cooperation, particularly economic. The cooperation has already resulted in several significant projects, the most important being Interbrews investment into the Niksic Brewery, which was one of the first significant investments in Montenegro.

The Prime Minister informed his guest about the Governments priorities, making particular reference to economic growth and development, strengthening of macroeconomic stability, faster European and transatlantic integration and finalization of the process of restoring Montenegros statehood and acquiring international legal personality in the referendum scheduled for May 21.

Mrs. De Hauwere emphasized that Belgium, as a member of the European Union and current chairman of the OSCE, supported Montenegros integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures and was ready to make its contribution in that direction. With regard to bilateral economic relations, she expressed the readiness to encourage Belgian entrepreneurs, predominantly SMEs, to discover interest and genuine opportunities for cooperation with Montenegrin enterprises.

Both sides expressed hope that cooperation would go stronger in the future, adding the necessary requirements had been met. In this respect, the Prime Minister emphasized that Mrs. Hauwere could rely on support from the Montenegrin Government other state institutions in her efforts to promote bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.