The visit of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Davit Bagrationi Mukhranbatoni, Head of the Royal House of Georgia, to Montenegro and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church began on 4 September 2021 with a working lunch held in his honour at Villa Gorica, an official representative building and residence of the Government of Montenegro.
At the lunch, His Royal Highness and Her Highness Princess Irina were hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dr Dritan Abazović. The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by his advisers: Ana Rašović, Adviser for Internal Organisation and Personnel Policy; Miodrag Laković, Adviser for National Security; and Ivo Šoć, Adviser for Legal Affairs.
Their Highnesses were accompanied by the Reverend Deacon Hadži Nenad M. Jovanović, Chaplain of the Georgian Royal Orders in Serbia, and Monsieur Henri Durand de Grossouvre, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
During the cordial and constructive meeting, useful discussions were held concerning the prospects for developing relations between the Royal House and Montenegro, with particular emphasis on cooperation in tourism, transport investment, and winemaking.
The participants agreed that the peoples of Montenegro and Georgia are connected by religious, cultural, historical, geopolitical, and economic affinities, as well as similarities in national mentality. These connections provide an excellent foundation for the further development and advancement of their relations.
Dr Abazović also expressed his satisfaction that the immediate reason for His Royal Highness’s visit to Montenegro was the enthronement of His Eminence Joanikije II, Metropolitan of Montenegro, the Littoral, Zeta, Brda, and Skenderija and Exarch of the Holy Throne of Peć.
In view of the political tensions surrounding the occasion, the participants emphasised their shared conviction that one of the principal duties of the Government of Montenegro is to protect religious freedom and ensure the right of the Serbian Orthodox Church to enthrone its hierarchs in Montenegro in accordance with its ancient traditions and centuries-old ecclesiastical order and jurisdiction.
Dr Abazović was especially pleased by the gracious intention of His Royal Highness to confer upon His Eminence the Metropolitan the Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the grade of Grand Cross on this momentous and historic occasion.
