‘Türkiye becomes key country in Balkans’, says Montenegrin premier

Türkiye has become a "key country" in the Western Balkans and its mediating role between Serbia and Kosovo is very important, the Montenegrin prime minister said on Sunday.

"(Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan is a leader who can convince the troubled parties in the Balkans to come to the table and find sustainable solutions to the problems in the region. I think Türkiye's mediation role in the tension between Serbia and Kosovo is very important," Dritan Abazovic told Anadolu as part of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum in Istanbul.

As a "superpower", Türkiye, maintains friendly relations with the whole world, he said, adding that all the steps Türkiye will take in global diplomacy are valuable for both the countries in the region and the Balkans.

"I hope President Erdoğan will be more involved in problems in the Balkans. This is extremely important for ensuring peace and stability in the region," he added.

He said Türkiye has started to play an effective role in the Balkans as much as in the EU and US.

Recalling that Türkiye was one of the first countries to recognize Montenegro after gaining independence in 2006, he said the relations between the countries have progressed since then.

He said that direct flights between the countries will not only contribute to tourism, but will also provide convenience to Turkish companies and business people who want to do business in Montenegro.