PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Speaker of Maltese House of Representatives strengthens ties with Montenegro during official visit

Speaker of the House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia is on a three-day official visit to Montenegro from December 13 to 15, 2024. The visit marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation between Malta and Montenegro. 

The Speaker engaged in high-level meetings with key Montenegrin officials, including the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Montenegro, Andrija Mandic, the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ervin Ibrahimovic, the Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Zdenka Popovic, Branka Markovic MP; the Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration, Ivan Vokovic; and the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, Admir Adrovic.

Dr Farrugia also had the opportunity to meet with Milena Sofranac Ljubojevic, the non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Montenegro to Malta.

The discussions aimed to enhance bilateral relations between Malta and Montenegro, focusing on bolstering parliamentary cooperation. Key topics on the agenda included:

• Regional security issues in the Balkans

• Montenegro’s progress in the EU accession process

• Potential areas for increased collaboration between the two nations

• The establishment of the Malta/Montenegro Parliamentary Friendship Group.

• Improved connectivity between Malta and Montenegro 

The Speaker emphasised the importance of security cooperation and Balkan stability during his talks with Montenegrin officials. He expressed Malta’s support for Montenegro’s EU integration efforts, sharing insights from Malta’s accession experience. He also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between respective legislative institutions. The establishment of the Malta/Montenegro Parliamentary Friendship Group can serve as a catalyst and a window of opportunity for Members of Parliament to better understand each other and work together in the multilateral field.

The Speaker also emphasised the importance of improving sea and air connectivity between both countries. This can stimulate trade and tourist traffic between the two countries.

The visit also provided an opportunity for both sides to explore avenues for enhancing economic and cultural exchanges. Both sides expressed their commitment to maintaining regular communication and fostering closer ties.

As Montenegro continues its journey towards EU membership, this visit underscores the importance of diplomatic relations and inter-parliamentary dialogue in facilitating the integration process.

The successful and fruitful discussions/meetings set the stage for continued collaboration between Malta and Montenegro, with both nations looking forward to building upon the foundations laid during these productive meetings.

During the meetings, the Speaker was accompanied by Ambassador Joseph Cole.