Comprehensive Economic Agreement with Montenegro on the Horizon

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (R) with his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Ivanović (L)

Hungary and Montenegro are working on a comprehensive intergovernmental economic cooperation agreement to enable Hungarian companies to play a major role in the digital and infrastructure development of the Western Balkan country, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Budapest on Thursday.

At a joint press conference with his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Ivanović, the Minister said that Hungarian exports to Montenegro set a record last year with a value of over 100 million euros, and that investments from Hungary continue to flow into the Western Balkan country.

Hungarian corporate investments are contributing to the development of Montenegro’s economy in the most modern sectors, including information technology, telecommunications and finance,”

he detailed.

He said that the parties are therefore working on a comprehensive intergovernmental economic cooperation agreement to enable Hungarian companies to play an even greater role in the digital and infrastructure development of Montenegro.

Hvala dragom prijatelju, Peteru Sijartu, na uvijek toploj dobrodošlici i srdačnom razgovoru. Još jednom smo potvrdili prijateljske i savezničke veze i . Mađarska će nastaviti da snažno podržava naše pristupanje . pic.twitter.com/poOUpHZOJr

— Filip Ivanović (@fivanovicpg) March 13, 2025

Mr Szijjártó expressed pride that during last year’s Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, Montenegro had taken significant steps in the integration process. “Three accession negotiation chapters were closed under the Hungarian Presidency and we support Montenegro’s efforts to close further chapters under the current Polish Presidency,” he said.

The Minister also pointed out that the European Union is in a particularly difficult situation, both economically and in terms of security, and that the competitiveness and weight of the Community on the global stage have been significantly weakened.

It is therefore in the EU’s fundamental interest to be able to integrate the Western Balkan countries as soon as possible,”

he added.

The EU applies double standards when @vonderleyen speaks of Ukraine joining before 2030, while the Western Balkans have waited 14+ years. Their integration would strengthen the EU, Ukraine’s accession, however, poses risks to our economy & agriculture. Welcome, @fivanovicpg! pic.twitter.com/6A6cXRvw7O

— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) March 13, 2025

He regretted that the Western Balkan countries had been waiting for membership for an average of 14.5 years, during which time they had received “an incredible amount of cajoling and lecturing” from the EU. “I think that this waiting of more than 14.5 years is a very discourteous, I would say humiliating behavior towards proud nations,” he stressed.

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