Balkan roadshow - Montenegro (2/6)

Following freezing, polluted Belgrade, our roadshow took us to the much more palatable Montenegro. Smaller than East Anglia and with a population equal to Sheffield, this surreal micro-state would be a forgotten backwater were it not for it's stunning Adriatic coast and comfortable Mediterranean climate.

Unfortunately we weren't here on holiday, but to work! We met many of the main players in Montenegrin civil society, including the government minister for NGO cooperation (who's tiny office was located in a shabby block of residential flats), the CEO of the biggest foundation in the country (George Soros' OSI, which last year spent just $700k here), and the people in charge of civil society issues at the EC Delegation (who were so impressed with our presentation of our work that they virtually promised to fund our activities).

Montenegrins are famous in the region for being relaxed, and laxy. We've been told that the conference we will hold here must finish by 3pm so that evveryone can have a nice lunch. Of course they will be too tired to go back to work after that, we were told, so there's no point in asking. But with a beautiful country and wonderful weather, it's hard to blame them.

We also met with our lead partner in Montenegro, who runs a powerful think tank (also housed in a modest residential block, but boasting the former PM, former Foreign Minister and current Ambassador to Washington on it's board). He is our Montenegrin partner on our major project in the region, and besides discussing that and our planned follow-up, we also held a joint presentation of our work to 25 local civil society leaders, the British and US Embassies, and the EC.

Our final official meeting of the trip was a lunch in the stunning coastal resort town of Budva, where all of the country's conferences take place. (Why just have a conference when you can combine it with a holiday?) We were invited to a lunch that was taking place as part of a high-level meeting about the future of civil society in Kosovo. After a few serious questions about what we can offer (and the useful advice that we must not treat Montenegrin organisations as if they are 'feebly minded) we were asked our most important question: would we like red whine or white wine?

So as Carlo and I make our way over the potholed roads to our next destination, we're left with an ever increasing list of contacts to follow-up on, ideas to develop, and expectant potential partners not to disappoint. We're making lots of work for ourselves here, but as we head for Kosovo - the world's youngest state, and one of its most controversial - we are encouraged by our progress so far. Our machine marches on - the next leg may be much more challenging, but for now it's two down, four to go.