Farnesina Secretary General, Ambassador Ettore Francesco Sequi, met today with the Ambassador of Montenegro, Milena Šofranac Ljubojević.
The two Ambassadors commented that the busy agenda of bilateral meetings at the highest level bears witness to the excellent quality of the relationships between Rome and Podgorica. Amb. Sequi reiterated Italy’s firm support for Montenegro’s entry into the European Union, expressing hope that all Montenegrin political forces be united to reach this result. Amb. Sequi reaffirmed Italy’s availability in assisting Montenegrin Institutions in the process of adaptation to EU standards.
Amb. Sequi also expressed satisfaction with the decision made by Podgorica to join the EU’s position towards Russia and Belarus, further confirming Montenegro’s international positioning, an ally within NATO.
Economic issues were also the subject of the talks. The cornerstone of Italian-Montenegrin cooperation is the submarine electric interconnection cable built by Terna, the doubling of which would represent an opportunity to integrate the Balkan region into the European electricity market. Amb. Sequi emphasized Italy’s intention to capitalize on this strategic investment, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans launched by the European Commission. The growing trade exchange recorded in recent years at the bilateral level, concluded Amb. Sequi, shows room to further strengthen cooperation between our two Countries in the field of economics.