- Government of Montenegro
Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Peace and stab...
Please note: The page below represents the archived content relating to the previous Government of Montenegro. Some of the information might be inaccurate or outdated.
Archive
Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Peace and stability of region are conditions for progress
Published on: Feb 14, 2017 • 11:09 PM Author: PR Service
Podgorica, Montenegro (14 February 2017) -- Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have excellent political relations, no open issues and are sending a clear message to the Western Balkans and the European Union that they are ready to cooperate, both mutually and within the region, for the benefit of citizens. This was concluded earlier today in Podgorica during the official visit of the delegation of Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Montenegro.
Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić reiterated these conclusions at a joint press conference following their meeting. They particularly emphasised that peace and stability in the Western Balkans are key conditions for development of the two countries and the region as a whole.
“We have noted with regret that different messages, that can threaten our greatest achievements - stability and peace, have been sent recently, and it is on us dealing with public politics to try to bring our differences to the level which will not jeopardise our development and relations, not to hide our differences, but to talk about them, to find the best solutions, and not to make differences the reason for conflicts, which could lead to something what noone in the Western Balkans wants,“ the Prime Minister of Montenegro stated at the press conference.
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić noted that relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro can set an example to the entire region.
“The aim of this visit is further development of regional cooperation, this time through direct communication and dialogue, which we consider crucial and fundamental instruments for resolving all open issues and defining projects which will mean further economic development of our two countries and the entire region, as well as creating further European perspective of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Therefore, we consider dialogue, instead of sending messages, a basic instrument that should be used in building relations among the Western Balkan countries,“ Chairman Zvizdić told the press.
European and Euro-Atlantic Integration
Prime Minister Marković and Chairman Zvizdić noted that the two delegations agreed that the European perspective of the region has no alternative.
At his meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Crnadak, Minister of European Affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejović voiced Montenegro's willingness to make available its knowledge and experience from the EU accession process to Bosnia and Herzegovina. As an important step in that direction, the two ministers signed the cooperation agreement in the EU accession process between the Government of Montenegro and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Prime Minister of Montenegro is hopeful that Bosnia and Herzegovina will start the accession negotiations with the EU and possibly open some negotiating chapters this year
Prime Minister Marković and Chairman Zvizdić emphasised the importance of Euro-Atlantic integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the context of MAP.
“Montenegro is at the door of full (NATO) membership and that makes all of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina very happy. We congratulate Montenegro and support its path, because we in Bosnia and Herzegovina do not have a full consensus on membership at the moment, but we have a consensus on the next step, which is the activation of the MAP. Thus, membership in the EU and NATO primarily means peace and stability for us, and peace and stability are basic preconditions for economic, social and political development of the entire region,“ the Chairman said.
At today's meeting, defence ministers, Predrag Bošković and Marina Pendeš, assessed that cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence is especially good within the US-Adriatic Charter, joint participation in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, as well as in training programmes for participation in the peace support missions.
Economy, Finance and Infrastructure
Economic cooperation, especially in the field of energy, as well as better infrastructure connections, were important topics of the plenary meeting of the two countries' delegations and bilateral meetings of relevant ministers.
Minister of Economy of Montenegro Dragica Sekulić and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mirko Šarović concluded at today's meeting that coordination in terms of production and management needs to be upgraded in order to make better use of hydro potentials of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.
“It is unacceptable that Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are linked in this way,“ Prime Minister Marković told the press conference, adding that the improvement of infrastructure is a key issue of development of both countries.
Chairman Zvizdić told the press that poor infrastructure connectivity between the two countries is an obstacle for better cooperation. In that regard, the two countries agreed to join efforts, both bilaterally and within regional initiatives, primarily through the nomination of joint projects within the Berlin Process.
Both sides agreed that the priority projects for both countries are: the Adriatic-Ionian motorway, Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline, Nikšić-Trebinje-Čapljina road, as well as improving existing road infrastructure that connects Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs Osman Nurković and Minister of Communication and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ismir Jusko agreed on the reconstruction of the Plužine-Foča road
Vjekoslav Bevanda, Finance Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed his country's readiness to support Montenegro's efforts to become equal with other countries emerged from former Yugoslavia in the succession negotiations.
Human and Minority Rights
Minister of Human and Minority Rights Mehmed Zenka and and his Bosnian counterpart Semiha Borovac agreed on the cooperation in relation to people who were reported missing.
Both sides agreed that joint platform, adopted at last year's regional conference in Budva on improving gender equality in Western Balkan countries and Turkey, implies not only the promotion and exchange of information and experience in connection with the integration of gender equality policy at the institutional level, but also the consistent implementation of the Istanbul Convention.
Future Cooperation
Representatives of the two governments voiced willingness to sign in the near future a set of regulations that would enhance cooperation and remove some of the existing obstacles.
During the visit, the Prime Minister of the Government of Montenegro was invited to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Chairman Zvizdić said that Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the idea of organising a joint session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of Montenegro, which will address mechanisms for boosting cooperation between the two countries.
Related articles:
Prime Minister Spajić presents Barometer 26 Nov 21, 2024
Is this page useful?