Pope meets prime ministers of Montenegro, Albania

(December 14, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI on Monday received in private audience prime minister Milo Djukanović of Montenegro. A Vatican statement said the two leaders exchanged opinions on current international issues and the situation in the Balkan region and the main challenges facing it. During the talks ,they commended the positive contribution that the significant Catholic minority community is making to the Montenegrin society. The Pope and Djukanovic also talked about the Montenegrin government’s efforts in promoting peace and harmony among the populations and religious confession in the Balkan nation. Earlier on Saturday, the Pope received in the Vatican the prime minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, and exchanged opinions on various issues concerning the current international situation, with particular reference to the Western Balkan region. The Vatican said two leaders “reviewed various aspects of bilateral relations, sharing positive views of their development." The Pope and Berisha also touched upon traditional family values, that are a common heritage of the Albanian people. The Montenegrin and Albanian prime ministers later met Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.