Ivanović pays a working visit to Vienna: Austria a significant economic partner of Montenegro

Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović is paying a working visit to the Republic of Austria. On the first day of his visit to Vienna, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović met with the President of the National Council (Parliament) of Austria, Walter Rosenkranz, the Chair of the Austria-Montenegro Parliamentary Friendship Group, Susanne Fürst, as well as representatives of the Government of the Province of Styria, Felix Kodolitsch and Gernot Walter.

The discussions held in the Austrian Parliament focused on Montenegro's European Union accession process. On that occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović emphasized the strong and consistent support of the Republic of Austria for Montenegro's European path and presented the planned timeline of negotiations, with the aim of concluding them by the end of this year. In this context, Ivanović highlighted the importance of the role of EU Member States' parliaments and expressed his expectation that Montenegro's membership would receive broad support in the Austrian National Council, particularly when the time comes for the ratification of the Accession Treaty. The interlocutors also pointed to the importance of further enhancing parliamentary cooperation, as well as exchanging experiences in implementing reforms accompanying the European integration process.

At the meeting with representatives of the Province of Styria, issues of concrete cooperation in the fields of economy and science were discussed, including investment potential and preparations for the upcoming visit of a delegation from this Austrian province to Montenegro in mid-June, when the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding is also expected.

The working visit of Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović to Vienna was also an occasion for organizing the event "West Balkan Salon," hosted by the information service "Westbalkan Briefing," with moderation by the Federation of Austrian Industries. This event represents a platform for dialogue among representatives of institutions, the business sector, and the expert community on the future of the Western Balkans and its European perspective. During the discussion, the importance of the enlargement policy was reiterated, along with the need for Montenegro to be recognized and evaluated in line with the principle of individual merit. Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović also informed participants about Montenegro's potential for new Austrian investments and the strengthening of existing cooperation, particularly in the fields of tourism, infrastructure, healthcare, and information technology.

The comprehensive exchange of views confirms the strong partnership between Montenegro and Austria, with particular emphasis on increasing the presence of companies from EU Member States in the Montenegrin market through investments and participation in development projects.