ZAGREB, June 4, 2020 – Croatia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlic Radman on Thursday met with ethnic Croats in Kotor and Tivat during a two-day visit to Montenegro, expressing Croatia’s support to Montenegro on its European journey as well as satisfaction with the status of the Croat minority in the country.
Grlic Radman met in Tivat with the president of the Croatian National Council of Montenegro, Zvonimir Dekovic, and the president of the Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) and member of parliament, Adrijan Vuksanovic.
“The native Croatian community of Boka Kotorska fosters Croat identity, history, the common past. They are a jewel here that contributes to a better understanding and multiculturalism, coexistence, which we are proud of, and they strengthen Montenegro’s diversity. With this visit I wanted to testify to their work and activities,” said Grlic Radman.
“We strongly support Croats in Montenegro and their representatives in the Montenegrin parliament. Croats here are an example of how we can work together and be a factor of European values that Croatia has achieved with its membership of the European Union. As the chair of the European Union, Croatia strongly and sincerely advocates Montenegro’s European path,” Grlic Radman underlined.
Vuksanovic who is the leader of the HGI party, the only Croat minority political party in Montenegro, said that Croatia and Montenegro are friendly countries and that Croats in that country are a bridge in their relations.
Grlic Radman also met with the Archbishop of Bar and Apostolic Administrator of the Kotor Diocese, Msgr Roko Gjonlleshaj who informed the minister of the history of the diocese and the current situation regarding the appointment of the future bishop.
After the meeting, Grlic Radman visited Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral as well as the future Croatian consulate which will be housed in a old palace in downtown Kotor owned by Croatia, which is currently being reconstructed.
On Friday, Grlic Radman is scheduled to meet with President Milo Djukanovic, Parliament Speaker Ivan Brajovic and Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic.
