Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic stated that he appreciates Turkey’s constructive role towards the Balkan states and that it approaches the current political issues in the region in a “constructive” way.
Milatovic, who came to Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, spoke to the AA correspondent about Montenegro-Türkiye relations.
Milatovic said that he was pleased to be in Ankara and that his visit was a reflection of bilateral relations, which he described as “excellent”.
Reminding that the 145th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries was celebrated this year, he said, “Montenegro is a small Balkan country, but our cultural, historical and economic relations with Turkey are intense. We see Turkey as Montenegro’s strategic partner. In addition, we are a NATO ally. “I believe that my visit to Ankara will also be a step in the right direction to further strengthen our relations.” he said.
Milatovic stated that good bilateral relations are a reflection of the trust and respect between the Montenegrin people and the Turkish people, and that this is based on historical and cultural ties.
TURKEY’S ACTIVE ROLE IN THE BALKANS
Referring to Turkey’s role in the Balkans, Milatovic said, “One dimension of our foreign policy is our good neighborly relations. These are the two main issues on which Montenegro and Turkey work together. We also highly appreciate Turkey’s constructive role towards the Balkan states.” he said.
Milatovic stated that Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 and that one of the cornerstones of his country’s foreign policy is its reliable membership in the NATO alliance.
Stating that he believes that his country is known as a good neighbor country in the Balkans and that Turkey is also considered as such, he said, “Especially in the last few years, I think that the role of Turkey, which is perceived as a reliable and good neighbor among the Balkan nations, has strengthened and we appreciate Turkey’s role very much.” he said.
TURKEY APPROACHES POLITICAL ISSUES IN THE BALKANS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY
Milatovic stated that Turkey plays a role in the economic development of the Balkan countries and touched upon Turkey’s investments in the countries of the region, including those in Montenegro.
“There is tremendous bilateral trade between Turkey and the region, including Montenegro, and I hope that this can be further strengthened. I believe that Turkey’s role, not only in Montenegro but in the Balkans in general, is perceived as a very constructive role.” Milatovic stated that Turkey approaches the current political issues in the region in a “constructive” manner.
Milatovic, for example, said that Turkey approaches the issues between Serbia and Kosovo from a similar perspective as Montenegro, and that its attitude towards Bosnia and Herzegovina is the same as that of his country.
Explaining that Montenegro and the majority of the countries in the Western Balkans are candidate countries for European Union (EU) membership, Milatovic continued as follows: Montenegro is a leading country in this respect. Once we become an EU member state, we hope that Montenegro can become the 28th member state by 2028. I believe this will also create another opportunity to strengthen our cooperation as part of the European Union. Türkiye and the European Union are among their largest trading partners, and there is a very important relationship between the European Union and Türkiye, and Montenegro is naturally linked to it.
ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES
Milatovic said that Turkey is one of the largest foreign investors in Montenegro, referring to 2023 data on the subject and stated that investments have increased significantly in recent years.
Expressing that this increase shows that Montenegro has a good image as a very attractive and reliable destination among Turkish investors and that he is pleased with this, Milatovic noted that his visit to Turkey will also improve relations.
Milatovic said that his country hosts many small companies from Turkey and explained that there is a developing Turkish entrepreneurship in Montenegro.
Stating that everything is based on trust and mutual respect at the end of the day, Milatovic noted that the trade volume between the two countries is 250 million euros.
Milatovic underlined that tourism is another aspect of economic cooperation and said that his country is one of the important destinations visited by Turkish citizens.
Stating that Turkey is a powerhouse of global tourism, Milatovic said, “Montenegro is one of the top 10 destinations in the world. We like to see ourselves as a jewel of the Mediterranean. We are very happy that there has been a very intense connection between the two tourism sectors, especially in the last few years. ” he said.
Milatovic noted that good bilateral relations depend on “good airline connectivity” as well as the trust factor, and noted that Turkish Airlines and Air Montenegro Airlines connect the two countries.
CULTURAL RELATIONS
Referring to the cultural relations between the two countries, Milatovic said that another interesting point is that, according to the 1905 constitution, Montenegro was one of the first European countries to recognize Islam in the state.
“At that time, it was one of the religions officially recognized by the Montenegrin state, the religion of the Montenegrin kingdom was Islam. The reason I mention all this is to say that even back then we had a lot of good things that we were willing to build on.” Milatovic said, pointing to the dialogue between peoples.
Milatovic said, “Culture basically means people. Turks living in Montenegro and Montenegrins living in Turkey are a natural bridge between these two countries.” he said.
Pointing out that Turkish TV series serve as successful ambassadors for cultural interaction, not only in Montenegro but all over the world, Milatovic said, “We see Turkey as a strategic partner, a reliable partner, and a friend.” he said.
