Dr. Lagumdžija - Minister Lukšić: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro will provide mutual protection for their citizens in third countries



On 3 October 2014, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija met in Sarajevo with Vice President of the Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro, Igor Lukšić who pays a one-day visit to B&H.

Following the meeting of delegations of the two Ministries, Dr. Lagumdzija and Minister Lukšić signed the Agreement on Cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro on consular protection and visa issues.

During the press conference Dr. Lagumdžija and Minister Lukšić expressed their satisfaction over the signing of the Agreement, saying that it will enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of visa and consular matters.

The Agreement enables protection of citizens of the two countries who reside in third countries in which one of the Parties does not have its diplomatic or consular mission. Diplomatic and consular missions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro will mutually represent interests of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in respect of the provision of consular protection, as well as matters of issuing visa to foreign nationals who intend to travel to one of these two countries for tourist or business purposes.

At the meeting it was noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have excellent and friendly relations which are an example of good neighbourliness and a model of successful cooperation in the region which contributes in the best way to its development and stability.

Dr. Lagumdžija and Minister Lukšić assessed that good bilateral cooperation between the two countries has become more dynamic in the recent period due to, among other things, joint initiatives that have been launched with the aim to enhance regional cooperation and to achieve economic growth in regional countries. The highest-level meetings in the recent period gave strong impetus to the improvement of relations as well.

Two Ministers emphasized the importance of initiatives launched by countries of the region and the European Union – within the new EU approach to the Western Balkan countries under which the EU is ready to invest a billion of euros of its own funds and additional EUR 10 billion in cooperation with international financial institutions for the implementation of regional projects. It provides opportunities not just for enhancement of economic development at regional level but also wider because they could be a solid basis for accelerating the integration process of regional countries for the EU membership.   

The initiatives that have been launched open possibilities for implementation of joint projects, such as the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), the Adriatic-Ionian highway that will pass through Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina and connect with Corridor 5c, as well as projects of joint prevention in managing natural disasters and construction of railroad Nikšić - Trebinje – Čapljina.

With regard to that, Dr. Lagumdžija informed Minister Lukšić of the proposal of the Council of Ministers of B&H for concluding Memorandum of Understanding between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro and Croatia on cooperation and support in implementation of Adriatic-Ionian highway.

During the meeting the two Ministers expressed their expectation that the Agreement on State Border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro will be signed soon, given that almost all conditions are met and they particularly welcomed today's signing of the Agreement on cooperation on consular protection and visa issues and expressed readiness for further improvements in the section of concluding agreements.