Science Minister Vlahović participates in COST ministerial meeting in Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia (23 September 2016) -- Minister of Science Sanja Vlahović participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), which was held in Bratislava on Thursday, within the Slovak Presidency of the EU. It was the first time for Montenegro to participate in the COST Ministerial Meeting in the status of full member, as it joined the association in May 2015. COST consists of 36  EU members and one associate country, Israel.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Vlahović expressed satisfaction that since joining this program, the Montenegrin scientists have doubled the number of projects in which they participate. Montenegrin research teams will be participating in 41 COST activities. She especially emphasised the importance of COST as part of the European Research Area, stressing that Montenegro, since gaining full membership in May 2015, has aimed to become an important partner in achieving the COST policy objectives of excellence and inclusion. COST-inclusion policies are aimed at encouraging and facilitating active involvement of researchers and scientists from less linked research communities of COST member states, and including young researchers and women researchers in all activities.

Robert Jan Smits, Director General of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, pointed out that COST is an important partner of the European Commission and one of the foundations for future innovations. He noted that 67% of EU economic development is currently directly conditioned by the development of science and research.

Ministers and senior representatives of the COST member states adopted the Ministerial Declaration, which underlines that Europe must continue to promote excellent and collaborative research and innovation programmes in which scientists have the opportunity to propose research topics (bottom up approach). By adopting the Ministerial Declaration, the representatives of COST member states confirmed their commitment to the COST association and to strengthening participation of SMEs in COST activities, as a contribution to increasing the EU industrial capacities.

Minister Vlahović met in Bratislava with Peter Plavčan, Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic. The two ministers agreed on the agreement on scientific and technological cooperation, which should be signed early next year. They stressed that the agreement will enable the Montenegrin researchers to work in research centres and institutes in Slovakia, the use of cutting-edge technologies and modern laboratories, exchange of know-how and experience through joint research projects, as well as the possibility of training of graduate and doctoral students engaged in the project.

The ministers also discussed the functioning of the centres of excellence and scientific-technological parks in both countries, and discussed the possibility of cooperation.