Ibrahimović meets Pekanov and Lord Wood on the margins of the Berlin Process Summit

On the margins of the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit, held in Sveti Stefan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović held separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Atanas Pekanov and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Wood of Anfield.

During his meeting with Pekanov, Ibrahimović highlighted the friendly relations between the two countries, based on a strong alliance and a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. He underlined the importance of cooperation between Montenegro and Bulgaria within NATO, expressing gratitude for Bulgaria’s political and expert support for Montenegro’s European integration.

Speaking about progress in EU accession negotiations, Ibrahimović noted that Montenegro had provisionally closed 21 of the 33 negotiating chapters, thus completing two-thirds of the process and confirming its position as the most advanced EU candidate country. He reiterated his expectation that the remaining chapters would be provisionally closed by the end of the year, creating the conditions for the signing of Montenegro’s EU Accession Treaty.

The interlocutors exchanged views on opportunities for stronger ties among the countries of the region and enhanced regional cooperation. Ibrahimović stressed that Montenegro attaches particular importance to strengthening bilateral relations with its neighbours, noting that regional cooperation and good-neighbourly relations are essential for accelerating European integration and safeguarding lasting peace and stability in the Western Balkans.

In his meeting with Lord Wood, Ibrahimović congratulated him on his appointment and thanked him for the United Kingdom’s support for Montenegro’s European path, reform processes and regional stability. He particularly highlighted the importance of concrete British assistance through the engagement of an expert who will support the Government in addressing complex challenges, including disinformation campaigns.

Ibrahimović expressed satisfaction that Montenegro was hosting this year’s Berlin Process Summit and thanked British partners for their significant contribution to Montenegro’s 2026 presidency of this regional initiative.

The interlocutors agreed that a stable, secure and prosperous Western Balkans is in the common interest and emphasised the importance of strong democratic institutions and the rule of law. Ibrahimović stated that, on its path towards EU membership, Montenegro would continue investing in stronger regional ties, cross-border cooperation, economic connectivity and the mobility of people, as well as in building reconciliation and trust.

The meetings reaffirmed the importance of political dialogue and cooperation with European and Euro-Atlantic partners in pursuing the shared goal of building a stable region firmly connected to the European Union.