CeMI organized the workshop “Chinese Influence in Montenegro: Challenges and Responses” on April 11, 2025, at the PR Center in Podgorica. The aim of the workshop was to identify key issues and map out shortcomings in Montenegro's policy toward China. Additionally, it was expected to lay the groundwork for further work by creating a draft set of guidelines and recommendations regarding the bilateral relationship between Montenegro and China. 

The workshop was led by Dr. Jovana Marović, former Minister of European Affairs and member of BiEPAG, and PhD candidate Marko Savić, whose research focuses on the influence of authoritarian regimes through soft power. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, political parties, as well as the civil and media sectors.

The main topics covered in the workshop related to economics and culture, with a focus on lessons learned from Montenegro’s relationship with China in these areas. Furthermore, the relationship was also approached from the perspective of diplomacy and geopolitics, where participants became acquainted with Chinese principles in international relations, as well as their contemporary tools for spreading influence and creating a positive image. 

At the end of the workshop, participants and lecturers succeeded in identifying key shortcomings in Montenegro’s policy toward China and specifying the areas in which measures should be taken to ensure that this relationship does not jeopardize Montenegro’s Euro-Atlantic path and the rule of law.

The workshop was held through the project ,,Countering Chinese Influence in Southeast Europe", implemented under the coordination of ESTIMA, in cooperation with CeMI and three other partner organizations in Albania (Albanian Institute for International Studies), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Transparency International), and Serbia (Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society).