Baku, March 19, AZERTAC

Former President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic, who is on a visit to Baku to participate in the 11th Global Baku Forum, was awarded the Friend of Azerbaijan Golden Order established by My Azerbaijan International Magazine for special services in the development of friendly, political, economic and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Montenegro.

The award was presented to the former president by Emil Nasirli, the Editor-in-Chief of the Magazine, Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Sciences, during the meeting of the ex-President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic and his wife with the staff of My Azerbaijan International Magazine at the editorial headquarters.

In his speech at the meeting, Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Sciences Emil Nasirli noted that My Azerbaijan Magazine which stands out among the print media of the country for its unique style has been meeting the readers with interesting and informative articles for almost 20 years. The magazine’s staff has worked hard to convey the truth voice of Azerbaijan to the world reader and made great efforts in this direction. As a result of this, My Azerbaijan Magazine, as a monthly publication, has acquired a wide readership not only in the republic, but also in different countries of the world.

Further, touching on the current level of relations between the two countries, Emil Nasirli said that Azerbaijan’s recognition of the independence of Montenegro in 2006 and the signing of the Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2008 can be considered the beginning of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. However, after the Diplomatic Mission of Azerbaijan began to operate in Montenegro, and the Honorary Consulate of the Balkan Republic was opened in Azerbaijan, bilateral relations received even greater development. The Editor-in-Chief also emphasized that, as is known, during the visit to Montenegro in 2013, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted that the two countries cooperate productively in various fields, including the economy, mutual investments, trade and tourism. This cooperation was further developed during the presidency of Mr. Milo Djukanovic; availability of such diverse relations between the states created the conditions for achieving certain successes in the economic sphere and opened up opportunities for mutual cooperation. Emil Nasirli also noted that today relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Montenegro are developing successfully: “I believe that through joint efforts, our traditional friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation will continue to expand and strengthen for the common benefit of our peoples.”

The Editor-in-Chief also added that Montenegro really arouses great interest among tourists, including tourists from Azerbaijan, with its wonderful nature, beautiful beaches, delicious national cuisine, exceptionally clean ecology, historical and cultural monuments, friendly attitude of the local population and other aspects. This country has created conditions both for relatively cheap and VIP tourists to relax, which is important for demanding tourists from Azerbaijan.

Former President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic and his wife highly appreciated the work done by the Azerbaijani side towards strengthening ties and cooperation between the two countries.

Also during the exchange of views, ex-President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic confirmed the issues raised by him during panel discussions within the framework of the 11th Global Baku Forum.

“The Western Balkans are a priority for the European Union. The membership of these countries in the Union promises very good prospects,” he added.

Further, at the editorial headquarters, former President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic got acquainted with a photo stand covering the activities of My Azerbaijan International Magazine over the past years.

Then, as a guest of the editorial office of My Azerbaijan International Magazine in 2024, ex-President Milo Djukanovic expressed his heartfelt gratitude in the publication’s Honorary Memorial Book.

At the end, Milo Djukanovic and his wife took a commemorative photo with the staff of the magazine.