Interview with H.E. Viorel Ardeleanu Ambassador of Romania to Montenegro
The 2024 year was a very important and very rich year for Romanian – Montenegrin relations. In the context last year’s bilateral high-level visits organized with the support of the Embassy of Romania to Montenegro, H.E. Viorel Ardeleanu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania in Podgorica expressed his thoughts on the topics related to bilateral relations, economic development and accession of Montenegro to the EU, based on Romanian experience.
Your Excellency, Mr. Ardeleanu, can you please review the most important events that marked Romanian – Montenegrin relations in 2024?
Indeed, as already highlighted, the year 2024 was an exceptional year in the consolidation of the bilateral dialogue between Romania and Montenegro. Two visits took place at the highest level, President Jakov Milatović was in Bucharest in March, and President Klaus Werner Iohannis paid an offi cial visit to Montenegro in October 2024. During the two offi cial visits, it was discussed about strengthening the special partnership between the two Allied countries, the ways Romania can support Montenegro in the negotiation process for accession to the EU, as well as the regional and international developments. Also, the Deputy Prime Minister, Filip Ivanović, paid an offi cial visit to Romania in June 2024, in his capacity of former Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this context, Ministers Ivanović and Odobescu, signed a new program for cooperation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, a program that includes different activities to be organized in the upcoming years. In June 2024, took place the visit to Montenegro of a big business and cultural delegation led by the president of Dolj County Council and Mayor of Craiova. On this occasion, in the capital Podgorica was inaugurated a street with the name “Krajova” and with the support of the International Academy Mihai Eminescu from Romania, was unveiled the bust of the national poet of Romania “Mihai Eminesku” in a central location of Podgorica. Between Dolj County and the Municipality of Podgorica there is a cooperation agreement between local councils and it has started to yield results. In November 2024, was organized the visit of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the Head of the Emergencies Situations Agency, Mr. Raed Arafat. A bilateral cooperation agreement in the fi eld of civil emergencies was finalized, an agreement that will probably be signed in January 2025 by the Ministers of Internal Affairs of Romania and Montenegro.
Mr. Ambassador, can you please review the impact of EU membership for Romania until now?
The benefits of EU accession for Romania took form of a steady growth of the GDP from 100 billion euros in 2007 to a GDP of 350 billion euros in 2023. This is an unprecedented development in Romania’s recent history. But free participation in the EU Single Market of 450 million people, without any taxes, requires a very consistent harmonization of the national legislation. In order to start receiving structural and cohesion funds from the EU, Montenegro has to adjust and implement EU Acquis. This helped us a lot in building infrastructure, modernizing our economy and increasing the standard of living in Romania to the average of EU member-states. The fact that Romanian GDP per capita surpassed already thus of Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Hungary and is equal to that of Poland and other EU countries, proves the special benefits obtained due to belonging to this European Union.
What role could Romania play in strengthening economic relations with Montenegro?
Economic cooperation has been on an upward trend in recent years, but more is needed. The potential is much greater. In November 2024, one of biggest Romanian companies in the field of smart city and public lightening opened an office in Podgorica. Other Romanian companies are doing trade or invest in real estate sector of Montenegro. We work to increase the number of Romanian investors in Montenegro and vice-versa. This will help diversify and consolidate the Montenegrin economy. Our companies have now reached a high level of financial maturity in order to internationalize and the Balkan region is a priority region for them. If there will be enough fiscal incentives, Montenegro could become a “hub” for expanding the Romanian economic presence throughout the region. Romanian Embassy will continue to organize, as we did in previous years, annual economic forums in Montenegro, but also to support the functioning of the new formats of cooperation, such as: bilateral Business Club, bilateral Chamber of Commerce, Romanian-Montenegrin Economic Commission and bilateral trade economic missions in tourism, HORECA and IT sectors.
The Assembly of the Romanian city of Craiova has decided to name a street in the historic part of the city after the capital of Montenegro and to erect a monument to Petar II Petrović Njegoš nearby. How do you see this gesture in the context of further strengthening cultural and historical ties between Montenegro and Romania, and what other initiatives are planned to deepen the cooperation between our countries?
Between Podgorica municipality and Dolj County Council there is a political declaration of cooperation signed a few years ago. Craiova is the capital of the Dolj County, and after Bucharest, the biggest municipality in the Southern part of Romania, with a population of around 300.000 people. Craiova is a powerful industrial city, an important university center and a great cultural center. The local Council of Craiova approved to give the name Podgorica to a street the City Center, near the parc Nicolae Romanescu, one of the most important historical objectives of Craiova. It will be followed by a monument of the great historical and cultural personality of Montenegro, Petar II Petrović Njegoš, which will be placed in this neighborhood. The significance of these events is great for the friendship between Romania and Montenegro. The children and students from Craiova will have the opportunity to learn who was the poet, philosopher and state personality of Petrović Njegoš and to understand better the Montenegrin culture and history.
Given the growing focus on sustainability and green energy in Europe, are there any joint initiatives or projects between Romania and Montenegro in these fields that could benefit both countries and strengthen their partnership in tackling global challenges?
Sustainable and green energy represents an important objective for Romania too. Romania`s intention is to increase the part of green energy in the national mix and there are several new capacities of solar, wind and hydro systems to be built in the following years. At this moment 40% of the total energy in Romania is produced by renewable sources. The Romanian companies obtained a lot of experience in this field and are ready to share this experience and knowledge with the Montenegrin companies. Each year we are organizing at least one economic Forum with the participation of Romanian and Montenegrin companies and we identified green and sustainable energy as one the priorities of our bilateral economic cooperation. There is an intention declared by an important Romanian company in the field of green energy to expand its collaboration relations in Montenegro in the future. Currently the company is taking steps to open a branch for the Western Balkans in Skopje in North Macedonia and we hope that soon this company will also approach the Montenegrin market.