Dear President Milatović, thank you for the warm welcome.
It is truly a pleasure to be the first Estonian president on an official visit here in your beautiful country. This visit marks a significant milestone in the deepening of our bilateral ties.
Estonia, who was first country to establish diplomatic relations with Montenegro and to ratify the association agreement, strongly supports Montenegro’s path to become a member of the European Union.
We were able to reaffirm our support when we raised the flag of Montenegro on the day you joined NATO, back in 2017. I very much hope that soon will come the day when Montenegro joins the European Union and we will be able to raise the flag in your honor again.
Estonia is pleased to see that Montenegro is a successful candidate country, and we encourage you to continue with the reforms you have started.
We consider it necessary to intensify communication at all levels, including establishing contacts between representatives of various local government institutions. We are happy to share our experience and welcome Montenegro’s goal to conclude EU accession talks by 2026.
Dear friends,
Our cooperation has grown steadily – in EU integration, digital governance, and supporting Ukraine. As NATO Allies, we share strategic goals. We share concern over hybrid threats – cyberattacks, disinformation, and foreign interference.
Together we are also stronger on the cyber front. The Estonian e-Government Academy (eGA) and CybExer Technologies have improved the ability of your country to withhold against cyber-attacks.
Support for Ukraine is crucial for all of us. I commend Montenegro for its military and political support, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which clearly demonstrates your strong commitment to Ukraine’s defence and regional security.
Estonia highly values that you have trained Ukrainian soldiers, provided shelter to more than 80,000 refugees, and firmly supported the sanctions against Russia. Sanctions must stay in force until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage.
We must increase pressure on Russia and continue to support Ukraine during a ceasefire and after. Estonia believes peace must be just and based on on international law, Ukraine’s sovereignty and 1991 borders.
Ahead of the NATO Summit in The Hague, unity and resolve are essential. Estonia will allocate over 5% of GDP to defence in 2025 – a clear signal in response to Russia’s continued aggression.
On digital cooperation, Estonia is glad to contribute through bilateraal and regional initiatives. We welcome your interest in e-governance and invite a fact-finding mission to Estonia.
Strong institutions and good governance are key to success. Let me share Estonia’s experience with you. When Estonia adopted widespread use of e-government services, it enabled us to save 2% of our GDP. These savings were redirected into strengthening our national defence.
Dear people of Montenegro,
There is great potential in the fields of culture, tourism and economy. Today’s tourism market is global and the Tivat-Tallinn flight has made a great contribution already by flying me here.
We also see opportunities for cooperation in AI and education, including Estonia’s AI-Leap program.
Estonia is proud to stand with the people of Montenegro as a friend, NATO Ally and hopefully very soon as a partner in the EU. Together, let us continue building a more secure, resilient, and united Europe.
Thank you for your attention!
