Government of the Republic of Montenegro

05/16/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/17/2022 03:01

Abazović meets with Reintjes: We are determined to tackle crime and corruption

Published on: May 16, 2022 1:30 PM Author: Office of the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Dritan Abazović met today with non-resident Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Montenegro Joost Reintjes. PM Abazović said that Montenegro and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have friendly relations that should be intensified, especially in the field of economic cooperation and the rule of law.

Prime Minister Abazović and Ambassador Reintjes agreed that there is great potential for strengthening cooperation in the fields of energy, tourism, infrastructure projects, the IT sector, agriculture and the food industry. We want to see more Dutch investments in Montenegro, said PM Abazović.

Prime Minister Abazović thanked the Netherlands for its support so far in the process of Montenegro's accession to the EU and expressed hope that it will continue to provide support in the future.

We are aware that the rule of law plays a key role in Montenegro's reform progress and are determined to tackle organised crime and corruption. In this regard, we expect the Netherlands to continue to provide expert assistance, especially in areas that are crucial for strengthening the rule of law, in order to meet the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24 as soon as possible, said the Prime Minister.

Ambassador Reintjes congratulated Abazović on his appointment as Prime Minister of Montenegro, stressing that the Netherlands will continue to cooperate with Montenegro in the process of strengthening the rule of law and European integration.

The two officials noted that Montenegro and the Netherlands, as NATO partners, cooperate at a higher level and within the framework important for wider, global security, emphasising the importance of NATO membership and the existence of a collective security system.