Presidents of Turkey, Montenegro Vow To Boost Ties

The presidents of Turkey and Montenegro met in Istanbul on Friday to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation and pledged to boost ties between the two countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at a joint press conference with his Montenegrin counterpart Milo Đukanović that the two countries share a special bond. More than 150,000 Turkish citizens have Montenegrin roots, Erdoğan said, and “relations between Turkey and Montenegro are at the highest level.” Trade between the two countries rose 49% in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to the same period in the previous year, reaching a record volume of $182 million. Turkey, Erdoğan said, supports Montenegro’s bid to join the EU. “We care very much about the stability and economic development of southeast Europe,” he said. Đukanović said the two countries should cooperate in a variety of areas, including economy and defense.