PM Lukšić: Montenegro set to meet NATO standards, join Alliance soon

Podgorica, Montenegro (13 May, 2011) – Montenegro is making notable progress in meeting all NATO accession criteria, most notably in the legislative and oversight activity of the Parliament, state administration reform, fight against corruption and organised crime, rule of law and freedom of the media, said Prime Minister Lukšić in his meeting with several NATO member-states’ ambassadors (Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and Spain).

“Our European agenda goes hand in hand with our NATO integration, and the sooner we fulfil our European commitments the closer we will be to Alliance membership, since EU integration reforms will bring us closer to NATO standards,” PM Lukšić summed up Montenegro’s integration vision.

Montenegro wishes to contribute to global peace and security and to global combat against organised crime, corruption and terrorism, PM Lukšić said underlining that Montenegro has deployed soldiers and medical teams in peace-keeping operations and will soon take part in the regional team of instructors to be deployed in Afghanistan.

The ambassadors welcomed Montenegro’s involvement and stressed that Montenegro is setting a good example for the region.