Montenegro achieves remarkable progress, North Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels concludes

Brussels, Belgium (26 March 2013) – Prime Minister Milo Đukanović participated in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in Brussels, where he presented the Government’s national and foreign policy priorities in the light of Montenegro’s further integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

Montenegro is fully committed to pursuing reforms in order to be ready for the next NATO summit dealing with enlargement, PM Đukanović stressed. He reiterated that his Government’s priorities remains strengthening the rule of law, security reforms and increasing public support.

He underlined the importance of continuing the enlargement process. “The completion of the process of creating a secure and united Europe is the ultimate goal, and the Western Balkan’s integration is a step towards that goal. Integration is a guarantee of a secure, stable and prosperous region,” he noted.

He also emphasised his personal and the Government’s commitment to increasing public support and understanding for NATO membership benefits in security, economy and democracy terms.

The NAC meeting agreed that Montenegro has made significant achievements in the integration process. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that NATO acknowledges and appreciates Montenegro’s moderator role in the Balkan, and its contribution to global peacekeeping missions.

The meeting also welcomed the establishment of Montenegro’s Council for NATO Membership and the appointment of a national coordinator, which clearly demonstrate Montenegro’s commitment to NATO as its key foreign policy objective.

Secretary-General Rasmussen and the NAC members encouraged Montenegro to continue to implement reforms and meet the membership criteria, and pledged support for its further integration process, pointing out to the significance of the entire region’s aspirations in that regard.