11 February 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović is paying a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, at the invitation of German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas.
During the first day of his visit, Minister Darmanović met with his German counterpart Heiko Maas. "Montenegro is grateful to the Federal Republic of Germany for continuing assistance to the fulfillment of our strategic foreign policy priorities - full membership in NATO and progress in the process of EU accession", Minister Darmanović said, adding that Montenegro's commitment to meeting the Alliance's key tasks and the criteria for membership in the EU is unquestionable.
Minister Darmanović noted that that German political and expert support in key areas - the rule of law, the fight against organised crime and corruption, judicial system reforms, media freedom, and the strengthening of the security and defence sector - is of particular significance for our country. Furthermore, he pointed to the possibility of stronger economic connectivity, stressing that "Montenegro is very open for a greater presence of German capital in our market and full valorisation of potentials for economic cooperation between the two countries."
Minister Maas said that Germany will continue to provide full support to the reform processes and integration of Montenegro into the EU. "Your place is in the European Union, and if you continue this way, success is guaranteed," he said. Maas stressed that Germany strongly supports the European perspective of the countries of the region and that, in order to strengthen the stability of the whole of Europe, it is crucial that the door of the Union is open. "The Western Balkans is an integral part of Europe, and in that sense, Germany's support is clear and very strong," Maas emphasised.
Minister Darmanović also talked with Foreign Policy Adviser to the Federal Chancellor Jan Hecker. The Minister expressed his belief that the future of the Western Balkans is in the EU, and stressed that the success of the enlargement policy is the basis of the long-term stability and security of the region. Both sides pointed out the importance of the European integration process for the further development of the countries of the Western Balkans.
