11 April 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković met with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković in Dubrovnik for talks on bilateral relations and boosting economic cooperation.
"We discussed how to further improve bilateral relations, maintain a high level of political dialogue, but also upgrade economic cooperation within the region," said Prime Minister Marković, who is taking part in the Eighth Summit of Heads of Governments of Central and Eastern Europe Countries and the People's Republic of China, taking place in Dubrovnik.
The Prime Minister stressed that he agreed with the Croatian Prime Minister that during this year, within the preparation for taking over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, Prime Minister Plenković will visit Montenegro and that all the options related to the Western Balkans and its progress towards the EU, which Croatia could have in its agenda during the presidency, will be discussed.
"We also discussed some conditionally outstanding issues. We agreed that these are not issues that are unsolvable, but that we need to tackle them in the short term and show the ability to be responsible and able to solve outstanding issues and not archive them," the Prime Minister told the press following his meeting with Prime Minister Plenković, adding that in the future he expects further progress in bilateral relations in all fields.
When asked by reporters about his expectations of the 16+1 Summit, Prime Minister Marković said that Montenegro's position was based on very good political relations with China.
"Within this process, we also discuss cooperation in the field of economy and infrastructure development. You know that we are almost in the final phase of the construction of the first section of the motorway in Montenegro. I will emphasise during my meeting with Prime Minister Li Keqiang on the following day the importance of this project and the significance of completing this project by mid-2020," the Prime Minister of Montenegro noted.
"The continuation of cooperation on the motorway construction, as we have already received an offer from the CRBC, according to the model of private-public partnership, will be discussed as well," PM Marković stated.
"It is my great pleasure that within this Summit, and supported by other Summit participants, we will be able to discuss the establishment of a creative hub in Montenegro for all members, which is very important in terms of cultural cooperation, innovation," Prime Minister Marković noted.
He added that these are all issues that will be part of the Summit agenda, stressing that he has significant expectations of the Summit.
