The Slovenian and Montenegrin Presidents meet representatives of Slovenian companies

Brdo pri Kranju, 5.3.2009  |  press release

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, and the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanoviæ, held a meeting with representatives of the Slovenian economy to discuss opportunities for strengthening economic cooperation between Slovenia and Montenegro. The meeting was attended by 20 representatives of Slovenian companies, including representatives of Mercator, Intereuropa, Triglav Insurance Company, Hidria, Terme Zreèe, NLB, NKBM and other companies.

President Türk opened by explaining that the meeting was attended by those with existing business links with Montenegro and who were present in the Montenegrin market. He stressed that the present moment was a particularly interesting and important time for defining future economic relations between the two countries. Montenegro has been recently reconstituted as a state, and the first years of cooperation between the two sovereign states have seen a high level of growth in trade in goods, strong development in the field of trade in services and encouraging development in the area of investment. Dr Türk said this was only a beginning and that it was important to look ahead, think long-term and ambitiously, which we are also forced to do, given the current international economic situation.

He stressed that, despite the economic crisis, we should frankly and thoroughly discuss the possibilities of more permanent forms of economic cooperation and talk openly about issues arising from the experience to date. He pointed out that cooperation was not equally developed in all areas and that there were still great opportunities for development in the areas of energy, insurance, banking, tourism, telecommunications, trade and other areas. He promised that, at future meetings with the Montenegrin President, he would always take the opportunity to discuss economic issues.

Participants of the meeting were also addressed by the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanoviæ, who said that the decision to hold a meeting with businessmen had been made jointly by the two presidents. He assessed the meeting as constructive since it offered businessmen the opportunity to present their views on opportunities for continuing and expanding economic co-operation between the two countries. He highlighted the existing cooperation between Slovenia and Montenegro as a model of good practice, which has improved even further since Montenegro gained independence. He said that, within Montenegro, Slovenian capital is represented in all spheres in a high quality manner, and commended Slovenian companies on their achievements in banking, hotel industry and the construction of infrastructure. He and his Slovenian counterpart also discussed a new challenge for Slovenian tourist companies and Montenegro’s interest in promoting its mountaineering tourism in Slovenia. In the view of Mr Vujanoviæ, Slovenian companies, with their experience and capital, could help in the development of the Montenegrin economy, highlighting the tourist resort of ®abljak in the Durmitor National Park in Montenegro as a tourist destination offering opportunities of this kind.