The regular establishment of the Bar-Bari ferry service is of great importance for Montenegro and Italy, considering the benefits of their strong transportation connectivity, not only in terms of developing seasonal tourism but also in medical and religious aspects.

It was concluded at a meeting between Montenegrin and Italian government representatives, which focused in the implementation of the Interreg program Italy-Albania-Montenegro, that there was a good foundation for resolving this issue, considering that it was in mutual interest to have more frequent and regular maritime connections, one of the ways being through the mapping and preparation for such a project within the Interreg programme.

Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and National Authorizing Officer for the financial management of IPA funds (NAO) Ana Raicevic presented the idea of potential future funding for activities aimed at re-launching the regular Bar-Bari ferry service.

In her opinion, this could be achieved, for example, through strengthening infrastructure and cross-border cooperation, within the framework of the Italy-Albania-Montenegro programme.

As jointly noted, upgrading this initiative and its execution requires the maximum involvement of all stakeholders responsible for programme implementation.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Finance, the visit to Italy has contributed to the exchange of ideas and contacts, and laid a solid foundation for further strengthening regional cooperation between Montenegro and Italy.