On that occasion, Ambassador Galip congratulated members of the Group for the election and stressed that a new friendship group with the Parliament of Montenegro would soon be formed in the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey, which would, as well as groups from previous convocations of the Turkish Parliament, be dedicated to further improving of relations of the two countries.
Pointing out that Montenegro was the brightest point in the Western Balkans region, the Ambassador emphasised that it has been a pleasure for him to be the Ambassador in Montenegro, and that relations between Montenegro and Turkey have reached a new level, with the membership of Montenegro in the NATO Alliance.
The Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Parliament of Montenegro with the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey and the Vice-President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Genci Nimanbegu, thanking the Ambassador Galip for congratulating the formation of the Friendship Group and the initiative to hold the meeting, stressed the importance that Turkey has had for Montenegro, as a friendly country, NATO ally, but also the country where a large number of emigrants from Montenegro have lived. He also noted that he regretted seeing last year's events in Turkey on the occasion of a coup attempt and expressed the desire that Turkey would continue fulfilling its strategic goals after the overcoming the crisis, emphasising membership in the European Union as very significant for that country.
In addition to traditionally good relations at the political level, intensified economic cooperation between Montenegro and the Republic of Turkey has been welcomed at the meeting, which regarding the trade in goods has in the last five months of the current year already reached the last year's level of about EUR 72 million.
In this regard, the Chair of the Friendship Group, Mr Nimanbegu, emphasised that, in addition to the economic cooperation so far, there has been a possibility for even more intensive cooperation in that area, and expressed his expectation that it would be improved further.
Beside the Chair Nimanbegu and Ambassador Galip, the meeting was attended, with active participation, by members of the Friendship Group of the Parliament of Montenegro with the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey: Mr Andrija NIkolić, Mr Suad Numanović, Ms Marija Maja Ćatović, Ms Branka Tanasijević and Mr Nedžad Drešević, who stressed, from the aspect of the competence of parliamentary committees in which they were members, that they would contribute to the realisation of concrete project activities and improvement of the bilateral relations between Montenegro and Turkey with their engagement.
