Bulgaria highly appreciates the efforts of the institutions and citizens in Montenegro to achieve progress in the process of European integration and also the country’s contribution to the development of good-neighborly relations in the region. This is what President Rumen Radev said at a meeting with Srdjan Darmanovic, Foreign Minister of Montenegro, held at 2 Dondukov street. The two were unanimous that the Western Balkans should continue to be in the focus of the EU policies, which will reaffirm the European prospects of all countries aspiring to full-fledged membership in the EU.
Strengthening the regional cooperation and integration requires joint efforts and it is an important step in this process, it transpired at the meeting. Upon the initiative of the Bulgarian Head of State, the Balkan countries’ governments will sign a Memorandum on the establishment of a Regional Institute for Sustainable Technologies, whereby the scientific and educational institutions will pool efforts to create an educational, scientific and medical center with technology from CERN. In the President’s words, this step will communicate a clear message to the European partners about the resolve of the Southeastern European countries to implement this project and also to provide financial aid. “Improving the regional connectivity requires investments not only in transport infrastructure, but also in projects which create conditions for the young people to stay in their countries and work there,” Rumen Radev said.
The opportunities for a subsequent strengthening of the bilateral cooperation between Bulgaria and Montenegro in the spheres of economy, energy and tourism, were also discussed at the meeting. Within the framework of the exchanged high-level visits between Presidents Rumen Radev and Filip Vujanovic an agreement was reached to hold a Bulgarian-Montenegrin business forum, which will promote the contacts between the business circles in the two countries with a view to implementing joint projects.