Yesterday, the Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Richard Raši, received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Ervin Ibrahimović. The meeting confirmed the exceptional and friendly relations between the two countries and emphasized Slovakia’s continued support for Montenegro’s path toward European Union membership.
At the outset, Speaker Raši reaffirmed Slovakia’s long-standing and comprehensive support for Montenegro’s integration efforts and for the Western Balkans region as a whole. “We view Slovakia as a model of successful transformation and an exceptionally rapid completion of EU accession negotiations,” Minister Ibrahimović said, expressing gratitude for the reception and for Slovakia’s ongoing support of Montenegro’s European integration efforts.
Richard Raši highlighted the close historical ties and recalled the key role Slovak diplomats Miroslav Lajčák and František Lipka played in Montenegro gaining independence in 2006. “These moments laid a solid foundation for the development of our relations, which today are free of open issues and allow us to focus on productive cooperation,” the Speaker emphasized.
The meeting at the parliament continued the recent intensification of bilateral activities, including the May visit of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini to Montenegro and the September visit of the delegation of the Slovak Parliament Committee for European Affairs led by its chairman, J. Ferenčák. Speaker Raši also highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, which provides a special platform for dialogue and strengthening international relations. “Parliamentary diplomacy is an important tool that complements official government and ministerial negotiations. It allows us to build personal connections, open new forms of cooperation, and strengthen trust between our countries,” he said.
Both officials agreed on the importance of further deepening cooperation, not only at the political level but also in economic areas where potential is not yet fully realized. They also discussed collaboration at the level of parliamentary committees and friendship groups, aiming to exchange experiences, including youth engagement and cultural initiatives.
Source: TASR
