Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović meets with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó

Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Szijjártó during his visit to Budapest. The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the current bilateral relations between the two countries and reaffirm Hungary's continued support for Montenegro on its path to European Union membership. 

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović expressed gratitude to Hungary for its strong and unwavering support for Montenegro, particularly during Hungary's six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union. He emphasized the significant contribution of Hungary to Montenegro’s accession process, noting that, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Montenegrin Government and Hungary’s commitment, Montenegro achieved a major milestone in December 2024 by closing three negotiating chapters—marking the first such progress in seven years. 

Minister Szijjártó reaffirmed Hungary’s steadfast support for the EU enlargement process, expressing pride in Hungary’s role in supporting Montenegro’s reforms. He highlighted that the closure of negotiating chapters and the achievement of other key objectives demonstrate that Montenegro is on the right path toward European Union membership. 

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović and Minister Szijjártó agreed that Montenegro and Hungary enjoy excellent bilateral relations, which will continue to strengthen at all levels. They discussed cooperation in the fields of economy, security, education, and culture, highlighting successful Hungarian investments in Montenegro as a crucial foundation for further deepening economic ties. 

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović thanked Minister Szijjártó for his continued advocacy for the accelerated accession of Western Balkan countries to the EU, emphasizing that Montenegro remains at the forefront of this process. He expressed confidence that, with the support of Hungary and other EU member states, Montenegro will achieve its goal of full EU membership by 2028. 

In conclusion, both officials reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying political dialogue and cooperation between Montenegro and Hungary, emphasizing that the partnership between the two countries will continue to develop across all areas of mutual interest.