The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has arrived in Montenegro, where he held meetings with senior state officials.
During his stay in Podgorica, Secretary Pompeo confirmed that Washington will continue to support Montenegro on the path to European integration, REL reports.
"We look to you and your government as leaders in regional efforts in the fight against corruption, the rule of law and freedom of the media," Pompeo said at a press conference after meeting with Montenegrin officials.
"The United States will continue to stand with the people of Montenegro as partners and allies," Secretary Pompeo said.
The Montenegrin Prime Minister, Dushko Markovic, called Secretary Pomepo's visit historic and promised to continue the fight against organized crime and corruption, further judicial reform and media freedom.
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"It is strategically important for the US and the EU to be present in the Western Balkans," said Marković.
The American Secretary of State also met with the Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, but after the meeting there was no statement to the media.
Later in the day, Pompeo will also stay in North Macedonia.
Montenegro is the newest member of NATO. This country joined the North Atlantic alliance in June 2017, despite Russia's objections.
Before the start of Pompeo's visit to Montenegro, a senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Secretary Pompeo, during his visits, will discuss "Russian efforts to foment discord" in Montenegro. Black and North Macedonia.
"It is up to these sovereign and independent states, as well as their people, to make decisions in the direction they want to go, and their decision to join NATO, I think, was important for them." said this official.
The American official also mentioned the coup attempt in 2016 in Montenegro, which was aimed at stopping Podgorica's plans to join NATO.
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A Montenegrin court has convicted opposition politicians in relation to this event.
Russia has also tried to foment a rift over the agreement between North Macedonia and Greece over the name dispute, which, according to this American official, paves the way for Skopje to join the European Union.
