Delegation of Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group with Parliament of Montenegro, headed by Ms Parvaneh Salahshouri, held several constructive meetings with chairpersons and members of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget and the Committee on Tourism, Agriculture, Ecology and Spatial Planning, on 2 and 3 November 2017.

Chairperson of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, Mr Andrija Nikolić, emphasised that he highly appreciated the initiative of the Iranian Friendship Group to have meetings with Montenegrin officials, which indicated to the readiness of the Iranian side to intensify cooperation in many fields. Mr Nikolić assessed that Montenegro and Iran have had stable and friendly bilateral relations, and with regard to that expressed his belief that official visits of high officials in the near future would strengthen political, economic and cultural relations. The interlocutors agreed that low level in trade exchange, cooperation in the field of tourism, energy and culture, were just another challenge that would encourage the governments of the two countries to create good preconditions for strengthening interstate relations with specific project ideas. The meeting was attended and participated by members of the Committee, Ms Nada Drobnjak, Mr Halil Duković, Mr Miloš Nikolić and Mr Ervin Ibrahimović.

The meeting with the Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Mr Radule Novović, the members Ms Branka Tanasijević, Mr Aleksandar Vuković and Mr Ervin Ibrahimović, dealt with ways of education and functioning of the working bodies of the Parliament of Montenegro, their composition and election of members. Also, members of the Iranian parliamentary delegation expressed interest with the details of the lawmaking process in the Parliament of Montenegro and informed Montenegrin MPs with the same procedure that has been conducted in the Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Interlocutors exchanged views on the current reform of the education system in Montenegro, with a special emphasis on the model of education of talented students, as well as on the topic of the institute of family and legal protection of children: guardianship, fostering and adoption. The interlocutors noted that there was an interest in intensifying scientific and technical cooperation between Montenegro and Iran.

The focus of the meeting with the Chairperson of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget, Mr Predrag Sekulić, members Ms Jovanka Laličić and Mr Filip Vuković, were topics related to the areas of transport infrastructure, energy and utilisation of energy potentials, investment climate, budget procedure, as well as issues related to the financing of political parties. It was pointed to the need of strengthening cooperation in the areas previously mentioned and enabling of better traffic connections, which would also contribute to greater economic activity between the two countries.

Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, Agriculture, Ecology and Spatial Planning, Mr Petar Ivanović, pointed to the importance of establishing cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of tourism and agriculture. Mr Ivanović emphasised the importance of education for young people in the field of natural sciences, informed members of the Iranian delegation with features of Montenegro and the need to establish a balance between nature protection and entrepreneurship. Head of the Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group, Ms Salahshouri, said that the two countries had much in common and the interlocutors stressed, as extremely important, the need to connect tourism and culture, especially in countries with a long and rich history such as Montenegro and Iran. The meeting was attended by a member of the Committee, Mr Mirsad Murić.

The interlocutors noted that the first official visit of the Iranian Friendship Group with the Parliament of Montenegro turned a new page in relations between two friendly countries and that good foundations for strengthening cooperation have been established in many areas important both for Montenegro and the Islamic Republic of Iran. A concrete step forward towards improving the overall cooperation between the two countries would be the mutual abolition of visas, as well as the introduction of a regular airline connection between Montenegro and Iran, the consensus was of members of the two parliaments.

Meetings were attended by the non-resident ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Montenegro, with headquarters in Belgrade, H.E. Mr Hussain Molla Abdollahi.