The Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Mišela Manojlović and the President of the Association of Romanian Municipalities Emir Draghici signed a Cooperation Agreement in Bucharest aimed at strengthening the partnership between the local self-governments of the two countries, during a study visit by representatives of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro to Romania, at the invitation of the Romanian company Urbio and the Association of Romanian Municipalities (ACOR), facilitated by the Embassy of Romania in Montenegro. The Agreement, signed following the ACOR General Assembly attended by the Montenegrin delegation, provides for the exchange of experience, the enhancement of administrative capacities and joint participation in regional development projects.
The central event of the visit to Romania was the conference “Smart cities: good practices applied in Romania and Montenegro to achieve smart urban communities”, held at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest. The conference was attended by representatives of ACOR, several mayors from Romania, as well as experts in the fields of smart cities and urban development. During the event, local authorities from Romania and Montenegro exchanged experiences, with a particular focus on the application of innovative technologies in city management, infrastructure improvement and sustainable development. The possibilities of using EU funds to implement smart city projects were also discussed, as this is key to securing the resources needed for such initiatives. The importance of strategic planning and project preparation for European Union funds, which provide financing for infrastructure, was emphasised. The meeting strengthened ties between the local authorities of the two countries, paving the way for the further development of joint projects in the field of smart cities.
In addition to Bucharest, the Montenegrin delegation also visited the cities of Târgoviște and Craiova, where the main topics were experiences in attracting EU funding, the implementation of European projects and the improvement of public services. The Mayor of Târgoviște Kristijan Stan emphasised that more than 90% of the city’s investments are financed through grants. According to him, this has been achieved through strategic planning and efficient project preparation, inter-institutional cooperation and the exchange of good practices among municipalities, as well as the continuous professional development of officials working on EU funds through training, specialised courses and cooperation with experts in fund management. A high level of motivation and professionalism is also maintained through a system of rewards, clear career paths and opportunities for advancement, ensuring that employees remain committed and competent in managing and implementing EU-funded projects.
Similar experiences were also shared by the Mayor of Craiova Lija Vasilescu and the Honorary Consul of Montenegro in Romania Ion Deaconescu. Mayor Vasilescu emphasised the importance of sustainable development, with a particular focus on green projects and the digitalisation of services, as well as on strengthening cooperation with municipalities in Montenegro, which would contribute to shared progress in the region, while Honorary Consul Deaconescu highlighted the potential for strengthening cultural and educational ties between the two countries.
The Mayor of Sector 4 of Bucharest Daniel Balut pointed out that their sector had successfully secured more than EUR 5 billion from European funding sources, enabling the implementation of key infrastructure projects. As a result of these investments, the population of Sector 4 increased by 20%, reflecting improved living conditions and new development opportunities. In addition, he emphasised that investment in educational infrastructure is a priority for their sector, as they consider it key to the long-term stability and progress of the community.
The Montenegrin delegation consisted of Mišela Manojlović, Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, the Assistant Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Milica Radojičić, the President of the Municipality of Pljevlja, Dr Dario Vraneš, the President of the Pljevlja Municipal Assembly Jelena Tošić, the Manager of the Municipality of Herceg Novi Dušan Vukić, the President of the Gusinje Municipal Assembly Edvin Bektešević, the President of the Berane Municipal Assembly Vida Ivanović, the Vice President of the Municipality of Mojkovac Ivan Ašanin, the President of the Municipality of Danilovgrad Aleksandar Grgurović, Miljan Marković, President of the Tivat Municipal Assembly, the President of the Plav Municipal Assembly Alen Balić, a TV Vijesti journalist Bojana Bojović and a representative of the Capital City Predrag Šćepanović.
