Participation of the Minister of Defence of Montenegro Milica Pejanovic Djurisic, Phd at the Atlantic Council Conference „Toward a Europe Whole and Free“

Within the official visit to the USA, Defence Minister Milica Pejanovic Djurisic took part at the Atlantic Council Conference „Toward a Europe Whole and Free“ held on 29 - 30 April, in Washington on the occasion of significant European and NATO anniversaries.

On the second day of the Conference, during the panel „Defending the Vision“, Defence Minister Pejanovic Djurisic has expressed her confidence that values of EU and NATO represent good platform for achieving the Europe whole and free.

Minister said that it is obvious that Montenegro, being one of the NATO aspirant countries, has fulfilled majority of criteria relevant to the Euro-Atlantic integrations.  She mentioned the articles 4 and 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, stating that solidarity among NATO member countries, which has always been the key for the Alliance’s success, represents an adequate response on security challenges, and as such it needs to remain a platform for future enlargements.

Defence Minister Pejanovic Djurisic concluded that European and Euro-Atlantic integrations are two main strategic directions, which provide political, security and economic sustainability of the whole and free Europe. In addition Minister said that democratic values of EU and NATO such are the rule of law, respect of human rights, independent judiciary, and solidarity among its members, at the same time, represent a backbone of the transition processes taking place in Montenegro, while the framework of collective security provides a guarantee for their further development.

Minister Pejanovic Djurisic emphasised that Montenegro is committed and dedicated to the European and Euro-Atlantic Agendas and is expecting concrete results at the forthcoming Summit in Wales regarding the NATO’s enlargement. Minister added that majority of countries at the Western Balkans, as well as Montenegro follow the vision of NATO. Having regarded the instabilities of our region from the end of last century, as well as the current situation in Ukraine, Minister said that it is necessary to scrutinize all the circumstances on the ground in order to prevent instabilities spreading out, which could distort all what has been so far done at the Balkans.

The panel was also participated by the Minister of Defence of Georgia Irakli Alasania, the Minister of Defence of Estonia Sven Mikser, the Minister of Defence of Czech Republic Martin Stropnicky and NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow.

In his addressing the Ambassador Vershbow emphasised that the NATO’s open door policy is still actual and that the success of aspirant countries will be assessed on the basis of their individual progress, as well as that NATO will continue providing support to the countries in order to further fulfil criteria.

Concluding the Conference, United States Vice-President Joseph Biden pointed out the necessity of having an adequate and single Euro-Atlantic response on the challenges related to the situation in Ukraine. In this context he called for the unity with a responsible attitude towards the need to strengthen the defence resources of each state individually.