Press release: Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic meets British Ambassador David Gowan and a group of students from the Royal College of Defense Studies

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic received today in Podgorica Ambassador of Great Britain David Gowan and a group of students from the Royal College of Defense Studies making their working visit to Montenegro as part of a study tour of the region.

The College prepares senior military officers and civic leaders of Great Britain and partner countries for prominent posts in their countries public and private sectors, developing their analytical skills and the understanding of defense and international security issues. The purpose of the visit to Montenegro is to become aware of the key issues and obtain a clear image of the economic and political development and relations in the region.

Prime Minister Djukanovic acquainted his guests with the political and economic situation in the Republic, the process of comprehensive social reforms and basic macroeconomic indicators, which had been following an upward trend for quite some time. He noted that around 140 laws had been prepared, adopted and implemented during the Governments present term of office, which brought Montenegros legislation much closer to modern European standards. In that context, the Prime Minister expressed Montenegros strategic commitment to accelerating the process of European and transatlantic integration, until the final accession to the European Union and NATO. The Prime Minister, also, informed his guests about the nature of the state union relations and Montenegros proposal for restructuring that relationship into an alliance of independent and internationally recognizes states, emphasizing that the process of finally resolving the statehood status would be conducted in the first half of next year, in line with the best international practices and highest European standards, with the participation of all interested parties.

The Prime Minister answered the students questions on internal policy, relations in the state union and development of regional relations.

The students of the Royal College of Defense Studies thanked the Prime Minister for the detailed information and wished Montenegro every success in achieving strategic development goals.