Jakov Milatović, Photo: Office for Public Relations of the President of Montenegro
The President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, announced that he would initiate the opening of a diplomatic mission in Astana and said that the country must think about a stronger presence in Central Asia.
Milatović, as announced by his cabinet, said that the first official visit of the President of Montenegro to Kazakhstan is an important moment in the relations between the two countries and an opportunity to translate the political dialogue into concrete economic, tourism and institutional cooperation.
“Today we opened a new page in the relations between Kazakhstan and Montenegro. This is the first visit of the President of Montenegro to Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, a country that has achieved a lot in previous years and from which we can learn a lot, especially in the context of economic development,” Milatović said.
He is reported to have said that he had an exceptional and friendly meeting with the President of Kazakhstan Kasim Zomart Tokayev, at whose invitation he is on an official visit.
Milatović reminded that the visit is taking place in the year marking 20 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Montenegro and Kazakhstan.
Speaking about the economic aspect of the visit, Milatović emphasized that a large business delegation from Montenegro is also staying in Kazakhstan, which confirms the intention to put a special focus on improving economic relations between the two countries.
“Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia and Montenegro should additionally get a well-deserved place in this country. This is precisely why a business forum between Montenegrin and Kazakhstan businessmen is being held in Astana, as an important step towards further improving the image of Montenegro and opening up new business opportunities,” said Milatović.
He also pointed out the importance of air connectivity, stating that he arrived in Kazakhstan with the national airline Air Astana, which connects Montenegro with Astana and Almaty.
Milatović reminded that in recent years an increasing number of tourists from Kazakhstan visit Montenegro, and that Kazakh tourists are becoming very important guests for our country.
“A large number of businessmen are here with me today, especially from the field of tourism. During the visit, memoranda were signed between chambers of commerce, national tourism organizations, as well as the public services of Montenegro and Kazakhstan,” said Milatović.
He pointed out that the signed memoranda represent a concrete result of the visit, as they open up space for a stronger connection of economies, promotion of Montenegro on the market of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, cooperation in the field of tourism and media, as well as more direct contacts between institutions, companies and citizens of the two countries.
Milatović also announced the signing of an agreement between the governments of Montenegro and Kazakhstan in the areas of economic cooperation, justice and digital transformation, which will further strengthen the institutional framework of relations between the two countries.
According to reports, he particularly pointed out the need for a stronger diplomatic presence of Montenegro in Central Asia, stating that the Kazakh side also raised the issue and that it should be considered as soon as possible.
Milatović assessed that the current model of diplomatic coverage of Central Asia no longer corresponds to the importance that region has for Montenegro today, and that the country must think about a stronger presence in that part of the world.
It is stated that Milatović selected Kazakhstan as the most logical place for the diplomatic representation of Montenegro in Central Asia, announcing that he would initiate its opening in Astana.
“Today, it is a significant region, with more than 100 million inhabitants, and an area that deserves the attention of Montenegro,” concluded Milatović.
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