Ivanović in Buenos Aires: 120 years of diplomatic relations as a foundation for strengthening partnership with Argentina

As part of his official visit to the Republic of Argentina, Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović met today in Buenos Aires with Vice President of Argentina and President of the Senate Victoria Villarruel and President of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem.

During the meeting with Vice President Villarruel, both sides confirmed their readiness to strengthen political dialogue and enhance cooperation in the fields of culture, economy, and education. Vice President Villarruel emphasized that Argentina and Montenegro share a history that obliges both states to deepen their bilateral ties and preserve their rich mutual heritage, especially given the long-standing presence of the Montenegrin community in Argentina. She also underlined the importance of working toward closer parliamentary cooperation, which would further reinforce the overall relations between the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović recalled that in 1906 Montenegro opened its first diplomatic mission on the American continent in Argentina and announced events marking the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Montenegro and Argentina, inviting the hosts to take part in the commemoration.

At the meeting with President of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem, Ivanović emphasized that relations between Montenegro and Argentina are rooted in deep historical ties, further demonstrated by the presence of around 60,000 descendants of Montenegrin immigrants in Argentina. Menem stressed that Argentina is open to further strengthening cultural and economic ties, adding that bilateral relations are based on intertwined histories and complementary interests of the two states.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović highlighted that accession to the European Union is Montenegro’s key foreign policy priority but also noted that it is important for the country to simultaneously develop relations with states beyond the European area. In this context, he particularly emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with Latin American countries, among which Argentina holds a prominent place due to its rich migration heritage and strong potential for deepening partnership relations.

During his visit to the Argentine Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović also met with Senator Jorge Capitanich, who is of Montenegrin origin. They discussed the history of the Montenegrin community in Argentina and further opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The Montenegrin delegation accompanying Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović consisted of Gordan Stojović, former Ambassador of Montenegro to Buenos Aires and President of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Argentina; Miroslav Radojičić, Chargé d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Montenegro in the Republic of Argentina; Renata Gojković, Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs.