The possibility of cooperation between Montenegro and Turkey is the potential to be used much better, particularly in agriculture, energy and tourism, said the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce (PKCG) Ivan Saveljic.
“These areas may reinforce the cooperation between our two countries in a more balanced way,” Saveljic said.
At a business forum of Montenegrin and Turkish businessmen from the Muş province organised in PKCG, he said that a dominant share of the banking sector, services and tourism was characteristic for Montenegro’s economy which is trying to balance it with the development of the real sector, particularly agriculture and energy.
“I deliberately emphasise the real sector, given that Montenegro has problems in foreign trade and the high trade deficit, which is somewhat balanced through service and tourism sectors,” he added.
He noted that Montenegro’s development was mainly based on foreign direct investment.
Saveljic also said that it was very important to establish cooperation with Turkey’s provinces closer to Montenegro in terms of population, size and volume of production, such as Muş. Thus there would be more room for cooperation through a concrete sector of small and medium-sized enterprises, he said.
He said that last year Montenegro and Turkey exchanged goods worth €74.4m, of which imports amounted to €69.3m, whereas the deficit in trade between the two countries was increased by three times to €64m.
“Montenegro is very interested in reducing the trade deficit with Turkey and we hope to export a part of our products to the Muş province,” he said.
President of the Muş Chamber of Commerce, Fatih Cengiz, said he expected the business forum would be another reason for increasing business cooperation between the two countries.
“In our delegation, there are mostly representatives of the companies engaged in the construction industry,” said Cengiz.
He explained that the construction companies were engaged in infrastructure and other works related to the construction industry.
“There are also representatives of textile companies, transport and companies that deal with computers and that operate in the whole of Turkey,” said Cengiz.
He said that the Turkish delegation was on a business tour and after Montenegro it would visit Bosnia-Herzegovina.
