RIGA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Latvia supports Montenegro's accession to the European Union (EU), Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braze said on Thursday during a meeting with Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanovic, who is on a working visit to Riga.
At a press conference following the talks, Braze noted that Montenegro hopes to join the EU during Latvia's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, scheduled for 2028.
The two sides discussed bilateral relations, opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation, and ways to deepen collaboration in science and new technologies. Braze also invited young Montenegrin professionals to take part in the Intensive Programme on the legal, political, and economic functioning of the EU offered by the Riga Graduate School of Law.
Ivanovic reaffirmed that Montenegro's main foreign policy priority is EU membership. He stressed that the country's policies are aligned with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, and highlighted strong public support for accession.
Montenegro's EU accession process has gained momentum in recent months. On June 18, 2025, the European Parliament reaffirmed its full backing for the country's membership bid. Montenegro is the most advanced candidate, with all 33 chapters of the EU acquis opened and six provisionally closed. ■