Replying to an invitation from the Prime Minister of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Milo Đukanović, made in July last during his trip to Rome, yesterday, on Monday March 16, 2009, the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, H.E. Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, was on official visit to Montenegro — his first to one of ex-Yugoslav countries, arranged four days before through the Italian Embassy to Podgorica and H.E. Ambassador Sergio Barbanti. During his stay in Montenegro, the Italy’s Head of Government was notably accompanied by Deputy Massimo Nicolucci (PDL), who recently visited Podgorica on the occasion of the official founding, in January 2009, of the joint economic association “Assozione Montenegro-Italia”, that gathers some of the biggest Montenegrin and Italian companies in the field of energy, tourism and infrastructure.

Arrived at Podgorica/Golubovci Airport in the mid-afternoon, with an hour delay, Prime Minister Berlusconi was warmly welcomed off the plane by Prime Minister Đukanović, after which he was escorted to the State Residence “Villa Gorica” to hold separate talks with his host and the President of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Filip Vujanović.

At the joint press conference that followed in a very friendly and casual atmosphere, Prime Minister Berlusconi first guaranteed Italy’s “full support to Montenegro on its European and Euro-Atlantic path,” before largely detailing the ambition of his country to soon raise “among the first five investors in Montenegro,” putting forward that Italy, just behind Serbia, was already the first trade partner of the country [1].
In view of this objective to be a constructive partner to developing Montenegro, as well as the entire region, the Italian Head of Government notably confirmed that “a number of Italy’s major companies will take part in tenders soon to be announced in Montenegro, primarily regarding the energy sector,” referring to the share capital increase and partial privatisation of Elektroprivreda Crne Gore A.D. Nikšić (EPCG), the building of hydroelectric power plants on the Morača River, and the laying of an underwater power cable for electric interconnection between Italy and Montenegro [2].
Both Prime Ministers finally emphasized that there was also a serious interest of Italian investors in the field of transport — notably concerning the forthcoming Port of Bar’s privatisation and the modernisation of the railroad between Bar and Belgrade, as well as in tourism industry, Prime Minister Đukanović pointing out on the latter subject that “Montenegro could significantly benefit from Italian experience in developing its tourism branch.”
Reminding that this first official visit of the President of the Italian Council of Ministers commemorated 130 years of diplomatic relation establishment between the two friendly countries, both Prime Ministers concluded the press conference by warmly congratulating this meeting that allowed us to explore views on a wide range of political and economic issues of common interest, in order to boost bilateral ties.

The Montenegrin agenda of the President of the Italian Council of Ministers also included in the early evening a visit to the Faculty of Philosophy in Nikšić, where he came to encounter a group of students from the Department for Italian Language and Literature. In particular — during a very relaxed meeting where he charmed the audience by declaiming from memory a full sonnet of Dante Alighieri, entitled “Guido, i’vorrei che tu, Lapo ed io” — students introduced Prime Minister Berlusconi with their desire to have closer communication with the Italian Government in order to get assistance in applying for scholarships and bursaries, and in obtaining visa facilities for study purpose. Before being escorted back to the capital, he promised the Faculty’s Italian Department a donation of 300 books from his publishing company.

Subsequently, the Italian Head of Government and his delegation attended a diner offered by his Montenegrin host. Prime Minister Berlusconi spent the night at the State Residence “Villa Gorica”, before leaving Podgorica to Rome, early today morning, Tuesday March 17, accompanied at Podgorica/Golubovci Airport by H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Montenegro.