President George Abela, who is winding up a state visit to Montenegro, today visited the Icon Filermosa which is exhibited at Government House.

The icon is linked to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (the Knights of Malta) who brought it with them to Malta in 1530. It was venerated in Vittoriosa and later Valletta.

After the expulsion of the knights from Malta in 1798, it was taken to Russia during the reign of Tsar Paul I, and was the possession of the ruling Romanovs until the Russian Revolution. In the Russian court its originally simple metal frame was replaced with a gold one adorned with precious stones.

After the revolution it was taken to Copenhagen, and then through the Russian Orthodox Church in Berlin, to the Karadjordjevićs' treasury in Belgrade (1929-1941). During the Second World War it arrived in Nikšić for a short time, upon which it was transferred to the Ostrog Monastery. Today it is located in the "Blue Chapel", a specially designed room of the Art Museum of Montenegro.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, who is accompanying the President, had talks with Foreign Minister Milan Rocen.

The two ministers signed agreements on bilateral cooperation between the respective foreign ministries,the fight against organised crime and tourism promotion.

The two countries already have a double taxation agreement.

The President's delegation also includes Richard Cachia Caruana, Malta's permanent representative to the EU.