DPM Abazović meets with Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly

Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović met today with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Şentop. DPM Abazović said that the visit of the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to Montenegro will further contribute to good and friendly relations between the two countries.

Abazović expressed gratitude for Turkey's support to Montenegro's strategic commitments and noted that high-level cooperation of the two Allies contributes to global security. In this regard, he pointed out that Montenegro remains committed to key principles of foreign policy activities – commitment to NATO, European integration and regional cooperation.

Abazović took the opportunity to thank the Republic of Turkey for its assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is estimated at several hundred thousand euros. He reminded that the donation of President Erdogan, delivered on 20 March 2020, consisted of 50,000 masks, 1,000 protective suits and 1,000 tests, and that this was a confirmation of more than friendly relations between the two countries.

Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Şentop emphasised that the visit of DPM Abazović to the Republic of Turkey will contribute to better bilateral relations between the two countries. Şentop praised the Montenegrin Parliament for the Resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica and pointed out the role that DPM Abazović had in that process. The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey confirmed to Deputy Prime Minister Abazović that he will pay an official visit to Montenegro by the end of this year.

Speaking about the economic cooperation between the two countries and the fact that the Republic of Turkey is one of the most important investors in Montenegro, Abazović and Şentop agreed that trade, transport, energy, entrepreneurship, agriculture and water management, tourism, health, education and culture are recognised as areas with significant collaboration potential. Furthermore, the officials agreed that the level of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries achieved through the mechanism of friendship groups is satisfactory, and that its intensification will contribute to better mutual understanding and stimulate the improvement of relations.  

The Montenegrin delegation, led by DPM Abazović, also met with Erol Kavuncu, Chairman of the Turkey-Montenegro Parliamentary Friendship Group.

The meeting noted that the friendship groups remain recognised as a mechanism of cooperation of exceptional importance.