Spajić meets with Singapore's Prime Minister

Challenging times forge strong friendships, and small nations must work together to overcome obstacles—this was the key message from the meeting between Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić and Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

The two leaders emphasized the friendly relations between their countries and agreed on the need to strengthen these ties.

The purpose of my visit is to build connections between Montenegro and Singapore. I aim to deepen cooperation at all levels. Your experience is invaluable to us, and we want to adopt best practices from the most successful countries, of which Singapore is undoubtedly one, Prime Minister Spajić stated.

Prime Minister Wong expressed his wishes for Montenegro to soon join the European Union, with which Singapore has a comprehensive free trade agreement. This, he noted, would bring the economies of Montenegro and Singapore closer together.

This could significantly contribute to Montenegro’s development, as Singapore is characterized by a highly developed, market-oriented economy. Our strengths lie in openness, absence of corruption, price stability, and a per capita income comparable to the most developed nations, Wong explained.

He added that Singapore is always open to learning and sharing knowledge, emphasizing potential collaboration in fiscal policy and digital transformation.

If there’s interest in advancing in this area, we would be more than happy to offer training and introduce your officials to the technologies we use in public administration, Wong added.

The discussion also touched on migration policy, which poses significant challenges for small nations and could become even more pressing for Montenegro upon joining the EU.

Additionally, the meeting covered Montenegro’s energy potential and plans to enhance infrastructure through highway construction, railway modernization, and improvements to airports and the Port of Bar.

Geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in Southeast Asia, were also discussed.

The leaders concluded that organizing a business forum to connect entrepreneurs from both countries could serve as a next step in strengthening bilateral relations.