Press release: Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic on official visit to Republic of Macedonia

The Governments of Montenegro and Macedonia will sign a large number of bilateral treaties and agreements in the following six months, it was agreed at todays talks between Prime Ministers Zeljko Sturanovic and Nikola Gruevski in Skoplje.

This concerns agreements on cooperation in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, tourism, seasonal employment, social insurance, road transport, aid in cases of natural disasters, legal and judicial cooperation and treaties on readmission and cooperation against corruption. The two prime ministers agreed for these documents to be finalized and signed during Prime Minister Gruevskis visit to Montenegro in the first half of next year.

Prime Minister Sturanovic described bilateral relations between the two friendly countries as excellent, emphasizing that Montenegro and Macedonia had no outstanding issues. Both parties agreed that the two counties followed a similar path and the same guidelines in achieving identical foreign policy goals, i.e. membership of the EU and NATO.

Prime ministers Sturanovic and Gruevski also discussed the situation in the region, primarily the Kosovo issue. The Montenegrin Prime Minister said that the best way to solve this problem was through bilateral negotiations. Macedonian Prime Minister reiterated his countrys support to the Ahtisaari plan for the only remaining security issue in the region.

During todays talks, Prime Minister Sturanovic informed his counterpart that Montenegro had accepted credentials of the first Macedonian Ambassador in Podgorica, which would help further enhance cooperation between the two countries.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sturanovic will meet with Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski and Parliament Speaker Lubisa Georgijevski. Also, the Montenegrin Prime Minister is scheduled to address the Annual Meeting of the Prime Ministers of the CEFTA 2006 Parties.