The Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Filip Ivanović, wrapped up his official visit to the Kingdom of Spain with a productive meeting involving representatives from the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, along with several Spanish companies.

The session commenced with remarks from Marta Blanco of CEOE, who expressed enthusiasm for the chance to gain a deeper understanding of Montenegro’s economic performance and development goals. She outlined the role and scope of CEOE, highlighting its representation of interests across all sectors of the Spanish economy.

Jaime Montalvo, Director of International Affairs at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the Chamber’s commitment to championing and safeguarding Spanish business interests and its advisory role to the Spanish government. He pointed out the substantial potential for collaboration with Montenegro and conveyed a willingness for ongoing engagement.

On behalf of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, Juan José Otamendi reaffirmed Spain’s strong support for Montenegro’s reform initiatives and European trajectory, stressing Spain’s overarching backing for the EU’s enlargement strategy.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović expressed gratitude to the hosts for their warm reception, noting that the meeting served as a significant platform for exchanging ideas and exploring possibilities for economic partnership. He remarked on the excellent political relations between Montenegro and Spain, characterized by sincere friendship, while indicating that substantial opportunities exist to bolster economic connections.

Ivanović highlighted Montenegro’s achievements in the EU accession process, emphasizing the country’s ambitious reform efforts in recent years. He identified key sectors ripe for Spanish investment, such as tourism and hospitality, infrastructure—particularly road development—as well as the IT sector and the digitization of public administration. He reaffirmed Montenegro’s openness to a greater presence of Spanish enterprises.

Ana Cmiljanić from the Development Bank of Montenegro provided an overview of the country’s economic landscape, focusing on key investment opportunities and strategic priorities.

Representatives from Spanish companies introduced their respective fields of operation, with some already engaged in partnerships with Montenegrin counterparts. They acknowledged Montenegro’s strong investment potential and a favorable, stable business environment.

The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding that enhancing business connectivity and promoting Montenegro’s investment potential within the Spanish market would greatly foster economic collaboration. Marta Blanco remarked that Montenegro’s alignment with EU regulations offers a distinct advantage for Spanish companies and mentioned that insights from the meeting would be shared with CEOE member companies to encourage future collaborations.