Defence Minister Pejanovic Djurisic had a presentation on “Integrations, the most effective response to the challenges in South East Europe” at the German Marshall Fund of the USA

On the last day of the official visit to the Unites States of America, Defence Minister prof. Milica Pejanovic Djurisic, Phd had a presentation on “Integrations, the most effective response to the challenges in South East Europe” at the German Marshall Fund of the United States of America.
In her speech, Minister Pejanovic Djurisic said that after restoration of independence, Montenegro has clearly defined membership in NATO and the EU as its strategic priorities, and the process of integrations understood as the need to accomplish necessary results through reforms, not only for the sake of future membership, but primarily due to further democratic and overall development in terms of stability and security.

Speaking about the upcoming NATO Summit in Wales, Minister Pejanovic Djurisic emphasized that a membership invitation for Montenegro would be a strong message for further stabilization in the region. Having regarded experiences from the previous time, as well as the current security challenges, risks and treats, Minister pointed out that the best response is to strengthen regional cooperation and intensify integration processes in the countries of the region. In this context she recalled that Montenegro is in its full capacity committed to further improvement of regional cooperation, which is showed through its active participation in numerous regional initiatives.

Concluding the presentation Minister Pejanovic Djurisic reiterated that Montenegro will continue to conduct reforms in qualitative and efficient manner, expecting that the achieved results will be recognized and valorized at the NATO Summit in Wales.

Minister Pejanovic Djurisic also visited the Naval Academy in Annapolis. On this occasion, she met with the Head of the Academy, Admiral Mike Miller, with whom she discussed the existing cooperation refering the education of members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. During the visit to the academy, Minister spoke with Cadet Jovana Perošević, the first girl from Montenegro attending this prestigious educational institution. So far, two officers of the Armed Forces of Montenegro completed Academy in Annapolis, and as of the next school year, another cadet from our country will have the opportunity to attend the same academy.

At the end of the visit’s official programme, Minister Pejanovic Djurisic spoke with the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Brian Hoyt Jee in the State Department. During the meeting they exchanged views on the situation in the region, as well as the eventual impact of actual developments in Ukraine to the Western Balkans. The interlocutors agreed that Montenegro has a very important role in the stabilization of the region and the strengthening of good neighborly relations and that Montenegro's membership in NATO would have a positive impact on the Western Balkans as a whole. Also, Hoyt Jee stressed the importance of the results achieved in the process of Montenegro’s accession to NATO Alliance and expressed confidence that the implementation of the reforms will continue in the same pace in the future.