Estonia and Montenegro

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Estonia and Montenegro

Bilateral relations

(last updated: 01.03.2013)

Estonia was the first country in the world to conclude diplomatic relations with Montenegro, doing so on 13.06.2006. The joint declaration on the conclusion of diplomatic relations was signed by Director General of the 2nd Political Department Karin Jaani and Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahović in Podgorica, capital of Montenegro.

Estonian Ambassador to Montenegro Arti Hilpus presented his credentials to President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović on 21 December 2012.

Visits

to Montenegro
April 2009	Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo
September 2008	President Toomas Hendrik Ilves
June 2007	visit of Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet to Montenegro

to Estonia
August 2011	Prime Minister of Montenegro Igor Lukšić
April 2010	Foreign Minister Milan Roćen in Estonia for the meeting of NATO foreign ministers
November 2009	President Filip Vujanović
March 2008	Foreign Minister Milan Roćen
June 2007	Deputy Prime Minister Vujica Lazović
February 2007	Foreign Minister Milan Roćen and Defence Minister Boro Vučinić at the meeting of the foreign affairs and defence ministers of the Baltic and Adriatic Charters and of the USA in Tallinn

Agreements

Since Montenegro gained independence in 2006, not a single bilateral agreement has been concluded between Estonia and Montenegro. However, during Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Roćen’s visit to Estonia on 4 March 2008, a co-operation protocol between the foreign ministries of the two nations was signed.

In addition, Estonia and Montenegro have exchanged notes confirming that the cultural, education and sports co-operation agreement signed by Estonia and Yugoslavia on 15 March 2002 remains in effect after the independence of Montenegro.

Economic Relations

Economic relations between Estonia and Montenegro are modest.

In 2012, Montenegro ranked 125th among Estonia’s trade partners.

In 2012 Estonia exported goods worth 144 thousand euros to Montenegro (primarily wood products and electrical appliances). Import from Montenegro in 2012 totalled 11 thousand euros in value.

According to the Bank of Estonia, in 2012 Estonia invested in the real estate sector of Montenegro (since there were fewer than three investments per sector, the sum of the investments was not published).

Trade with Montenegro 2007-2012 (thousands of EUR)

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Export	35	28.7	32	16	49	144
Import	3	-	12.7	-	0.3	11
Turnover	38	28.7	44.7	16	49	155

Source: Statistical Office of Estonia

Tourism

Montenegro has already received quite a lot of attention as an attractive tourist destination. Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Montenegro. Estonian companies also organise tourist trips to Montenegro.

Development co-operation

Estonia has supported the development of Montenegro’s public administration primarily by sharing know-how with the country. Training courses and study trips have been organised for Montenegrin officials on the development of e-governance, the border guard, and the foreign service, as well as on the topics of advancing EU integration and working in the public relations sector. In 2012 the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the e-Governance Academy are participating along with Italy in the twinning project “Strengthening administrative capacities in information society”.

Defence-related co-operation

Montenegro is one of Estonia’s priority partner countries for defence-related aid, along with Georgia, Ukraine and Afghanistan. So far Estonia has mostly carried out defence-related aid consulting for Montenegro within the framework of a project led by Norway as part of the Nordic-Baltic initiative. The project primarily covers these four sectors: personnel management, information technology, policy planning, and defence planning. Soldiers from Montenegro have also participated in courses at the Baltic Defence College. Officials from Montenegro have visited Estonia to become acquainted with the organisation of its cyber security.