PM Marković opens 2BS Forum: Montenegro is on stable path, but Balkans is still ''unfinished job''

(Montenegro, Budva 22 May 2018)-- Prime Minister Duško Marković has said, opening the Forum To Be Secure in Budva, that Montenegro is on the irreversible and stable path of future EU member, which we have long been pointing out for, but Balkans region is still "unfinished job", burdened with problems, therefore, by addressing open issues in the Region, encouraging good trends and implementing reforms, we should take advantage of the recent renewal of interest in this part of the world in both Brussels and Washington.

Montenegro is on the irreversible and stable path that has long been drawn without dilemma. But the Balkans region is still "unfinished job". And the first discussion on this forum, I would say with full justice, is devoted to the Western Balkans and the gap between the problems left behind and the challenges that the modern era has brought. The changed geopolitical situation in which the Balkans once again found a collision of interests, illegal migration, terrorism, rising hybrid threats, economic instability ... are just some issues that burden the region. However, it is important to recognize positive trends, to encourage them and to further stimulate them. The EU and NATO accession processes have historically proven and continue to be the main drivers of democratic and reform processes. We are witnessing that there are attempts to undermine the region's commitment to be part of the European and Euro-Atlantic family. It is therefore important to work on the preservation and full realization of this vision. Every alternative to these processes brings us back and threatens the democratic and civilizational exploits we have made, "stressed out Prime Minister Duško Marković, addressing the participants of the Eighth Forum To Be Secure - a gathering that convenes every year hundreds of officials, academics and experts from security and foreign policy.

 

Montenegro in NATO actively advocates and promotes open door policy

 

Talking about our country, the Prime Minister said that this forum was different from the previous one because Montenegro had become a NATO member between two events.

"Not only did we get the best guarantee of preserving our sovereignty but also creating the prerequisites for our citizens' continued security and the advancement of society. The interest of serious investors who want to invest in Montenegro is steadily growing, as is our economy. Last year, we had an impressive growth of 4.4% in the economy, and indicators in the first quarter of this year give us reasons for optimism to go with similar parameters. This year we already have 20% more tourists compared to the same period last year, where we have exceeded the best results in tourism in the last 30 years. In addition to the comprehensive reforms and measures that the Government is undertaking, this is certainly the result of the signs of stability that we now have as a NATO member, "Prime Minister Marković underlined.

He added that our country as a NATO member actively participates in fulfilling the Alliance's priorities as well as actively representing and promoting the open door policy which we consider to be particularly important as it is in line with our traditional constructive role in the region.

"We are engaged in NATO, bilaterally, as well as through regional initiatives such as the US-Adriatic Charter. We are available to our neighbors, as well as to all other aspirations with which we want to share experiences and lessons learned, "said Prime Minister Duško Markovic.

The Prime Minister, speaking about the situation in the Western Balkans region, expressed the expectation that the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels would bring new positive moments to the region.

 

 We are happy about the renewed interest of Brussels and Washington for the Western Balkans

 

"We are eagerly awaiting the favorable development of Skopje-Athens agreement on resolving the name dispute, which would open Macedonia's road to membership. We hope that soon there will be a modality for the activation of the MAP for B&H, which would give new energy to the Euro-Atlantic reform processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also support Serbia's cooperation with NATO through partnership mechanisms, as well as the interaction between NATO and Kosovo. Therefore, we are looking forward to a recent renewed interest in the region at all important addresses, from Brussels to Washington. In February, we had a document like the European Commission's Strategy on the Western Balkans, and just a few days ago, we gathered in Sofia, at the EU- Western Balkans Summit, the first after Thessaloniki 2003. In London, we are expecting a summit in London under the Berlin process. After a long period of time the region and its needs and potentials are discussed in a concrete and continuous manner, which the Summit in Sofia in the best way strategically framed. Particular value is that we talked about how to connect better within the region, but also with the European Union, infrastructure, digital, economics, which is equally important as well as political message on enlargement. In the adopted Declaration of the Summit we have for Montenegro a vital Adriatic-Ionian project or so-called "The Blue Highway. The region has been promised further, enhanced financial support and the concrete implementation of such projects important for its comprehensive development, "said Montenegro's Prime Minister, concluding that this is a good time for further improvement of cooperation between the countries of the region.

Prime Minister Duško Marković stressed that the European perspective of the region was confirmed last week at the Summit of the European Union and the Western Balkans in Sofia."We hope that the EU member states will give a green light in June to open negotiations with Albania and Macedonia," Prime Minister Marković concluded.

 

Montenegro is in the decisive phase of the European integration process

 

Speaking about the continuation of our European integration process, Prime Minister said that we are proud that Montenegro with 30 open and three provisionally closed chapters led by the negotiating process and that our country with the same enthusiasm we have been working on with NATO, in a more efficient and efficient way to fulfill the obligations remaining within the EU membership agenda.

"There will be no shortcuts, no pitfalls, no fatigue. We are facing the most demanding and decisive phase in European integration. And all of our efforts will be directed towards that. Not because someone from us is looking for it, but because they are the values ​​that citizens want, and they are constantly confirming the firm support of the country's European and Euro-Atlantic course. There will be no compromise in the way, which is troublesome with the challenges we see and feel every day, to the ultimate realization of the society we want and need. Where are the rule of law, freedom of media and journalist security, the work of the civil sector - a state of mind and a protected value. Where is the political and social consensus the responsibility felt by all actors independent of current political opportunities, based on the common desire for the European future of Montenegro ", concluded Prime Minister Duško Marković addressing the participants of the Eighth Forum To Be Secure.

Forum To Be Secure is an annual high-level conference on issues of global, transatlantic security and security in South East Europe. The Forum's organizer is the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro, together within the Montenegrin Government's co-operation and in cooperation with the US Embassy and NATO. Among the participants of this year's Forum are Montenegrin President Milo Djukanović and Defence Minister Predrag Bošković.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO