ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Friday with Ervin Ibrahimovic, Montenegro’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, in Istanbul to stress Ankara’s expectation of measures to prevent a recurrence of attacks targeting the safety and rights of Turkish nationals, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan also underlined Türkiye’s determination to deepen cooperation and friendship between the two countries.

Montenegrin media previously reported allegations of a knife attack in the capital city of Podgorica involving Turkish nationals. Following the reports, Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajic announced on the US-based social media platform X that visa-free travel for Turkish nationals had been temporarily suspended.

The Podgorica High Court said Friday that two individuals detained for the alleged knife attack involving Turkish citizens in Podgorica had no connection to the incident and were released.

Fidan conveyed Türkiye’s expectations for the protection of the safety and rights of Turkish citizens in Montenegro during calls Oct. 27 with Prime Minister Spajic and President Jakov Milatovic.