Addressing of Minister of Defence Prof Milica Pejanović- Đurišić PhD on the Day of the Armed Forces of Montenegro

Honorable President of Montenegro,

President of the Government of Montenegro, President of the Parliament of Montenegro,

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentleman,

 

I would like to welcome you all at the celebration on the occasion of 7^th October – Day of the Armed Forces of Montenegro.

Dear members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro,

 

I would like to congratulate you the holiday, wishing you to have more motives to be proud of being part of defense forces of Montenegro from day to day and year to year, as Montenegro is also proud of you!

 

At the beginning of the 21st century, the state of Montenegro has regained continuity of its existence, which was a logical step forward and historical justice. Montenegro’s past boasts various important military and political developments, but there is one constant, something that has not changed – freedom, which used to be the essence of its existence and survival of the people living in this area.

 

Battle under Rumija, at the field of Tuđemil which took place on 7^th October in 1042,
is perhaps the oldest date which confirms this fact. This convincing victory was the result of deep devotion to freedom and fatherland, which formally led to the recognition of statehood and strategic importance of Duklja.

 

However, regardless of Montenegro’s millennium-long existence, our country faced serious challenges jeopardizing its survival in the past. On 13 July 1878,
Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as a state, and then, after the disappearance in 1918, we raised again during Montenegro’s uprising which broke out on 13 July 1941.
Again, driven by strong idea of anti-fascism, love towards freedom and civilization values united all Montenegrin diversities, which were fighting and have managed to fight for peace, freedom and equality among people.

 

Following these achievements, just about 10 years ago, we have managed to restore the independence of Montenegrin state which managed to gain trust and respect primarily of our neighbors, and then the other partner countries around the world, in a relatively short time. The Armed Forces of Montenegro has certainly contributed to high positioning of Montenegro at the international level. This has been result of dedicated and focused work of both, individuals and institutions. In just a few years from establishing new defense system based on democratic principles of civilian control, Montenegrin Armed Forces has managed to build its capacity and legitimized itself as a professional institution, enjoying a high degree of confidence of both, the citizens of Montenegro and our partners.

 

Being committed to work on its readiness so as to adequately deal with modern security challenges and threats, the Armed Forces of Montenegro equips and trains its members, in the format and structure tailored to the size and capacity of our country, with an ongoing and solid support of the Ministry of Defense. Therefore, our Armed Forces is making this efforts with the aim to be integrated into the international cooperative system of security and collective defense, in order to complete its mission of protecting the sovereignty and continuity of Montenegrin statehood, in the best possible way.

 

Participating in numerous missions of the United Nations, NATO and the European Union, the members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro have significantly contributed to the high positioning of Montenegro on the current geo-strategic map of the world. Their presence in Afghanistan, Somalia, Liberia, and Mali, allows us to directly perceive the global political situation, as well as react in the right way in order to meet our vision - Montenegro, sovereign country, member of NATO and EU.

 

Currently, expecting the invitation for membership in the Alliance, the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Montenegro represent a segment of the Montenegrin society which development, level of training and implementation of reforms mostly have had a direct impact on the level of support to our partners. Therefore, we want to send a clear message from this ceremony, and that is: Montenegro and its Armed Forces are ready to join NATO! I say this without the slightest hesitation and without being reserved, since, as the Minister of Defense, I know how much work, effort and commitment we have made for achieving the necessary level of readiness to enter the Alliance. Therefore, rightfully, I do expect an invitation for membership at the end of this year, so as to enter the next stage with new impetus and enthusiasm, and thus foster and accelerate our integration into the North Atlantic system of collective defense and security.

 

We are well aware of the fact that a high standard of modern professional military person with an integrity, both in individual and institutional sense, implies his/her combat readiness, knowledge of military and diplomatic skills, fluency in foreign languages, knowledge of human rights and other modern knowledge and skills. Therefore,
I would like to use this opportunity to confirm that the Ministry of Defense will keep creating the conditions for the Armed Forces of Montenegro, so as to continue to be an institution where it will be an honor to pursue professional engagement and ensure livelihood of the families. We are working intensively on establishing better social dialogue with representatives of military unions, in order to jointly find solutions for improving the status of Montenegrin officers and soldiers. In that sense, we will continue making efforts in improving the existing infrastructure capacities of the Armed Forces, further modernization and equipment, as well as education of officers, NCOs and military personnel in renowned military academies and prestigious military schools around the world.

Confident that our experience and a genuine awareness on the benefits of Montenegro will additionally encourage us to jointly work in creating conditions for the overall development and progress, allow me to, once again, congratulate the holiday to all members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro, as well as wish every personal and professional success.