Poland pledges unreserved support for Montenegro’s NATO bid

Minister of Defence Milica Pejanovic Đurišić hosted earlier today her Polish counterpart Tomasz Siemoniak, who said that Poland will back up Montenegro’s accession to NATO, expecting the country to be invited to join the Alliance at NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels in December.

He underlined that Montenegro has made a solid track record in reforming the defence sector and intelligence services, and praised its contribution to peacekeeping missions which, in his words, has been acknowledged by other NATO allies as well.

Minister Siemoniak voiced Poland’s willingness to offer more segments for cooperation, such as training of Montenegrin cadets at military academies in Poland, assistance when it comes to the modernisation of military equipment, as well as other fields of importance for supporting Montenegro’s NATO bid.

Defence Minister Pejanović Đurišić referred to the four major segments to which Montenegro has been committed in its process of NATO integration.

"It is about the rule of law and development of democracy, reform of the intelligence services, development of the Defence Ministry and public support for NATO accession. Any objective analysis and assessment can only conclude that Montenegro has achieved tremendous progress in these areas," said Minister Pejanović Đurišić. She added that the Strategic Defence Review of the Ministry defines the defence system as it should be after Montenegro becomes a full member of NATO, and that the document was drafted in cooperation with a number of NATO member countries, including the United States.

The Defence Minister noted that Montenegro has opted to put emphasis on the development of specific skills which will contribute to the overall capabilities of the Alliance.

"I think that is the only way as we are aware that the NATO membership entails not only rights but also responsibilities," Minister Pejanović Đurišić stated. Speaking about the modernisation of the entire defence system and the Armed Force of Montenegro, she emphasised the construction of the system for observation and supervision of the Montenegrin coastal area, bearing in mind this is the only part of the European shore of the Mediterranean which is not part of the NATO defence system.