BELGRADE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Montenegro on Thursday for the first visit by a French head of state to the Balkan country, pledging support for its European Union (EU) accession and overseeing the signing of a series of strategic agreements.
Macron met with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic and Prime Minister Milojko Spajic in Cetinje, the country's historic former royal capital, where the two sides signed agreements covering health, defense, infrastructure, finance and energy, Radio Television of Montenegro reported.
The agreements are expected to facilitate major investments, including a 312-million-euro (362.4 million U.S. dollars) project to build a new University Clinical Center in Podgorica. They also cover cooperation on the Adriatic-Ionian Highway, a cyber capacity-building center and the procurement of two military patrol vessels.
Macron reaffirmed France's support for Montenegro's EU membership bid, as the country seeks to accelerate its accession process.
Following the bilateral meetings, Macron is scheduled to join European leaders in Tivat on Friday for a regional summit focused on security cooperation and a new framework for the gradual integration of EU candidate countries. ■