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Đukanović: Montenegro Deserved the Invitation for Membership
Published on: Jul 14, 2014 • 6:12 AM Author: News Agency MINA
Commenting the decision of the Ministerial Council not to send an invitation to Montenegro to join the NATO, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović said in an interview to MINA Agency that he was not fully satisfied with the formulation of the decision, because he was convinced that Montenegro had deserved the invitation for membership.
"I am saying this because I have frequently checked, in communication with NATO partners, the value of both phased and final results that Montenegro made in the realization of tasks from the NATO integration agenda. Also, I think that we can, with no fear, compare our achievements with those ones which, during the integration stage in which Montenegro is nowadays, had been achieved by the neighbouring states, which are NATO members now, said Đukanović".
He said that such decisions depended on two parties, the country candidate and the Alliance countries, which were to decide when country candidate would join them.
"Also, at certain times, not less important is a geopolitical context which, anyway, according to my opinion, decisively contributed that Montenegro failed to receive the invitation at the moment, said Đukanović".
He reiterated that it was not a failure, and that Montenegro was the only state candidate, out of four, which was given the opportunity, in a dialogue with NATO, without waiting for the next Summit, to receive the invitation for membership during the 2015. "It is of crucial importance that we, in the forthcoming period, continue the reforms with the same commitment, in order to use the offered opportunity to achieve this national political priority as soon as possible, said Đukanović".
Commenting the reform process in the security sector, which was one of conditions to obtain the invitation for membership, Đukanović said that, during the last few years, NATO, in its agenda, emphasized four areas in the reform process.
Đukanović reiterated that, in addition, also the reform of the defence sector, the rule of law and the support of public opinion had been emphasized.
"In all discussions with NATO partners at different levels, we had a regular exchange of opinions on achievements in the four areas. The issue of personnel changes in the security system, at the top-level or in its depth, had never been raised, not even as a hint, said Đukanović".
When it comes to the reform process in the field of security, this implies, he said, the obligation to meet the standards which will make the Montenegrin security system compatible with the NATO one.
Đukanović explained that it primarily implied the amendments to the legislation which, as he claimed, had been worked on hard by Montenegro. He mentioned that the Government had forwarded to the Parliament the Law on the Basis of Security System, as well as the Law on the National Security Agency, adding that
the amendments to the appropriate legislation in the field of defence had been also done. "In addition, we established Department within the Ministry of Defence which deals with issues of military security, we worked on the institutional strengthening, not only of the ANB, but we also envisaged by the Law on the Basis of Security System establishment of the National Security Council, said Đukanović.
He said that Montenegro had done a lot, not only on the establishment of new institutions, but also on the functional strengthening of the existing ones, and that the results in the area were encouraging.
"Definitely, I do not know that anyone from NATO Alliance conditioned with any personnel issues the dynamics of extending invitation to Montenegro. Changes take place and will take place regularly within the security system, as well as in other parts of state administration. There is no way that the absence of the expected invitation from this year's Summit could be explained by this, concluded Đukanović”.
"I am saying this because I have frequently checked, in communication with NATO partners, the value of both phased and final results that Montenegro made in the realization of tasks from the NATO integration agenda. Also, I think that we can, with no fear, compare our achievements with those ones which, during the integration stage in which Montenegro is nowadays, had been achieved by the neighbouring states, which are NATO members now, said Đukanović".
He said that such decisions depended on two parties, the country candidate and the Alliance countries, which were to decide when country candidate would join them.
"Also, at certain times, not less important is a geopolitical context which, anyway, according to my opinion, decisively contributed that Montenegro failed to receive the invitation at the moment, said Đukanović".
He reiterated that it was not a failure, and that Montenegro was the only state candidate, out of four, which was given the opportunity, in a dialogue with NATO, without waiting for the next Summit, to receive the invitation for membership during the 2015. "It is of crucial importance that we, in the forthcoming period, continue the reforms with the same commitment, in order to use the offered opportunity to achieve this national political priority as soon as possible, said Đukanović".
Commenting the reform process in the security sector, which was one of conditions to obtain the invitation for membership, Đukanović said that, during the last few years, NATO, in its agenda, emphasized four areas in the reform process.
Đukanović reiterated that, in addition, also the reform of the defence sector, the rule of law and the support of public opinion had been emphasized.
"In all discussions with NATO partners at different levels, we had a regular exchange of opinions on achievements in the four areas. The issue of personnel changes in the security system, at the top-level or in its depth, had never been raised, not even as a hint, said Đukanović".
When it comes to the reform process in the field of security, this implies, he said, the obligation to meet the standards which will make the Montenegrin security system compatible with the NATO one.
Đukanović explained that it primarily implied the amendments to the legislation which, as he claimed, had been worked on hard by Montenegro. He mentioned that the Government had forwarded to the Parliament the Law on the Basis of Security System, as well as the Law on the National Security Agency, adding that
the amendments to the appropriate legislation in the field of defence had been also done. "In addition, we established Department within the Ministry of Defence which deals with issues of military security, we worked on the institutional strengthening, not only of the ANB, but we also envisaged by the Law on the Basis of Security System establishment of the National Security Council, said Đukanović.
He said that Montenegro had done a lot, not only on the establishment of new institutions, but also on the functional strengthening of the existing ones, and that the results in the area were encouraging.
"Definitely, I do not know that anyone from NATO Alliance conditioned with any personnel issues the dynamics of extending invitation to Montenegro. Changes take place and will take place regularly within the security system, as well as in other parts of state administration. There is no way that the absence of the expected invitation from this year's Summit could be explained by this, concluded Đukanović”.
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