Abazović, Di Maio: Italy fully supports Montenegro's European integration

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazović met today in Villa Gorica with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Luigi Di Maio.

Expressing satisfaction with the visit of Minister Di Maio, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that this meeting is very important for the Government because it is the first official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the NATO Quint to Montenegro since the 42nd Government of Montenegro took office.

DPM Abazović said that the relations between Montenegro and the Republic of Italy are traditionally friendly, stressing the cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral level, as well as through a strategic partnership within the NATO.

Speaking about the possibilities for improving economic cooperation, Abazović pointed out that Italy is one of the most important foreign trade partners and foreign investors in Montenegro. Abazović emphasised that through the Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between Italy and Montenegro, signed in 2010, economic cooperation should be intensified and in that context stressed the importance of submarine power cable for economic cooperation between the two countries. Bearing in mind the number of tourists from Italy who visit Montenegro annually, but also the importance of tourism for the economy of our country, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio thanked for the warm welcome and expressed hope that in the coming period there will be even more intensive economic cooperation between the two friendly countries. Minister Di Maio noted that Montenegro has the full support of Italy in its European integration, as it had during its accession to NATO, and expressed satisfaction that Montenegro sees its future in the European Union.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed the importance of exchanging experiences between Montenegro and Italy in the field of fight against organized crime and corruption, reforms in the field of rule of law, regional cooperation, as well as cooperation at the university level of the two countries.

Both sides agreed that the two countries have very similar challenges and processes and that this can be important in the exchange of experiences between the two countries.