Ministers of Foreign Affairs Radulović and Eriksen Søreide: Zero tolerance on corruption and important reforms will increase Norwegian investments in Montenegro

“Bilateral relations between Montenegro and Kingdom of Norway are friendly and based on principles of openness and partnership. They secure space for improvement of political dialogue and economic cooperation, that is on the top of Montenegrin Government’s agenda”, Minister of Foreign Affairs Đorđe Radulović said in online conversation with Ine Eriksen Søreide, Head of Norwegian diplomacy.

Minister Radulović welcomed interests of businessman of two states for strengthening communication in that area, while emphasizing the importance of Norwegian participation in development projects in our country. While speaking about economic connection, Minister Eriksen Søreide stressed that success of Montenegro within EU integration secure significant credibility in sense of encouraging Norwegian investors to increase their investments. In that context, she also emphasized the importance of efforts of the Montenegrin Government in controlling corruption, as well as reforms in the area of rule of law and justice.

On that line, Minister Radulović reiterated devotedness of executive power in Montenegro to these issues, while emphasizing the fact that its goal is “zero tolerance on corruption”. He added that “these efforts are in line with our EU path, where huge number of our citizens see themselves”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway also stressed the significance of identification of future activities, as bilaterally, as through regional projects, saying that “when close countries jointly open, possibilities are opening too”. In that regard, Head of Montenegrin diplomacy stressed that Montenegro is part of Berlin process and Regional Cooperation Council too, thus that engagement of Western Balkans’ countries in that bodies represent basis for further development.

Speaking about cooperation in the defense sector, he welcomed support of Norway with belief that it will be additionally empowered in the forthcoming period. He expressed the gratitude for readiness of that country to provide full support to the further reform of Montenegrin defense system, as well as in the different projects directed towards training of representatives of Ministry in charge for this area. In that reference, collocutors stressed the significance of finalizing and signing the Protocol on Intention between Ministry of Defense of Montenegro and Centre for Integrity of Defense System of Norway.

Minister Eriksen Søreide appraised cooperation of the states at multilateral level, citing as example support of our country to the successful candidacy of Norway for membership in Security Council for the period 2021-2022, on New York election on June 17^th 2020.