The Prime Minister, Milojko Spajic, is at the helm of the Montenegrin delegation on a seven-day working visit (April 21 to 28) to the United States of America (USA), which commenced yesterday. Notably, the agenda suggests that he will not meet with any officials from the administration of Donald Trump.

When questioned about the absence of meetings with State Department officials during his visit, the Government’s Public Relations Office informed “Vijesti” that the Prime Minister will instead lead the state delegation at the annual gatherings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WB) taking place in Washington. The media will be timely informed about all public meetings, as is customary in such contexts.

The Montenegrin delegation mainly consists of Ministry of Finance representatives, including Minister Novica Vuković, his chief of staff Jovana Bojić, state secretaries Milica Adžić and Bojana Bošković, as well as general directors Bojan Paunović, Andrijana Ulić Rajović, and Miloš Misković. Also included is the Ambassador of Montenegro to the USA, Jovan Mirkovic, along with Spajić’s advisor and head of the Public Relations Department, Jovana Bojić.

According to the Government’s visit platform, the delegation will meet at the US administrative center with the Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Will Liem, the Head of the IMF Mission to Montenegro, Srikant Shesadri, and the Director of the IMF’s European Department, Alfred Kamera. Planned discussions will also include the IMF Executive Director Jeroen Klikom and his deputy, Marniksom of Rijem.

Regarding the World Bank, the delegation is set to meet with the WB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, Antonel Basani, as well as the World Bank Executive Director for the regional countries, Eugene Rugenat, as stated in the document.

The agenda regarding NATO discussions remains unknown.

It has also been communicated that Spajić will “exchange views on NATO cooperation” and reaffirm Montenegro’s commitment to collective security, highlighting our intention to allocate increased funding for defense.

The document outlining the visit emphasizes that during discussions with American counterparts, the Prime Minister will “express gratitude for US support in achieving Montenegrin foreign policy goals” and demonstrate a willingness to bolster cooperation and enhance the strong partnership between the two nations.

The Government’s Public Relations Service did not specify with whom Spajić will discuss NATO cooperation or which “American colleagues” he will meet, as there have been no announcements regarding meetings with American government representatives.

The delegation will also participate in a roundtable focused on the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system and will attend the SEETAC meeting alongside the Governor of the Central Bank, Irene Radović.

Additionally, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with representatives of American investors facilitated by Bank of America, along with global rating agencies Moody’s and S&P, as well as management from financial groups such as DFC, IFC, OPEC, Exim USA Bank, and Citi Bank, according to the platform.

The document indicates that “the visit will underscore the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, particularly in defense and economic sectors, highlighting the significant contributions the US makes to Montenegro in advancing reform processes.”

“In terms of economic collaboration, Montenegrin investment potential will be showcased, and avenues for partnership will be explored—a crucial aspect of the economic dialogue between Montenegro and the United States. This dialogue, revitalized in February 2024, has significantly enhanced our country’s visibility and its potential within the American market, while also intensifying collaboration across energy, infrastructure, digitalization, trade, science, technology, and cybersecurity,” it stated.

Commitment to robust relations with the EU and the US.

In a mid-February interview with CNN, Spajić remarked on the vital importance of Montenegro maintaining strong relations with both the European Union (EU) and the US. A similar sentiment was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Filip Ivanović last weekend.

“The Government of Montenegro is fully prepared to enhance cooperation with President Trump’s administration and anticipates the opportunity to deepen the allied and friendly relations between Montenegro and the USA,” Ivanović stated in an interview with “Vijesti”.

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