Turkey Supports Montenegro's Full Membership in the European Union, Says Erdogan

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that Ankara supports Montenegro's full membership in the European Union. This was reported by TASS.

“Montenegro is our partner in NATO. Turkey advocates for Montenegro's full membership in the European Union,” he stated at a press conference following talks with Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic in Istanbul.

Erdogan emphasized that Turkey places great significance on the stability and economic development of Southern Europe and the Balkan countries. “Montenegro makes an important contribution to this process,” he added.

He also mentioned that during his visit to Montenegro in 2021, a goal was set to increase trade between the two countries to $250 million. “The indicators for the first 11 months of this year show an increase in trade turnover by 49 percent. It has already reached a record figure of $182 million,” said the Turkish President.

He also reported that Turkish investments in Montenegro have exceeded $67 million, with about $20 million coming through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). In total, there are 3,800 Turkish companies operating in Montenegro, Erdogan noted.