Soon, Conditions Will Be Met to Open the Nunciature in Montenegro
Leo XIV with Spajić, Photo: Government of Montenegro
Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced that the prerequisites for establishing the Nunciature in Montenegro will be fulfilled soon, with expectations set for completion by the end of July.
During his visit to the Vatican, Spajić met with Pope Leo XVI, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Richard Gallagher.
Spajić’s office stated, “The parties expressed satisfaction with the excellent bilateral relations during their amiable conversation.”
The discussions also covered cooperation between Montenegro’s executive branch and religious communities, along with various topics such as regional dynamics in the Western Balkans and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Post-meeting, Spajić remarked on his cordial conversation with Pope Leo XIV, which lasted significantly longer than anticipated, further affirming the robust historical relations between Montenegro and the Holy See that date back to the 19th century, marked by the signing of the first Concordat by Prince Nikola.
Spajić highlighted, “It is a great honor for our nation, and we conveyed our expectation that all conditions for the opening of the Nunciature will be fulfilled by the end of July.”
Reportedly, the first audience of a Montenegrin official with the newly elected head of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8 included Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Branko Krvavac, and Chargé d’Affaires of the Montenegrin Embassy to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Milica Petrović.
According to Vatican News, Spajić engaged in discussions with Pope Leo XIV within the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
The report further notes Spajić’s discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, assisted by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
During the friendly talks at the State Secretariat, both parties expressed pleasure with the current positive bilateral relations, while also addressing various church-state issues.
Regional and international matters were also reviewed, particularly focusing on the potential expansion of the European Union to include Western Balkan countries and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
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