Press release: Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic meets with President of the Project on Ethnic Relations Livia Plaks and PER Executive Director Alex Grigorev

Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic today met with President of the Project on Ethnic Relations Livia Plaks and the organizations Executive Director Alex Grigorev.

The guests acquainted the Prime Minister with the history, mission and recent core activities and programs of the Project on Ethnic Relations. Having congratulated the Government on the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU and adoption of the Constitution they also placed special emphasis on the importance of adopting the Strategy for the Improvement of the Status of Romanies, which demonstrated the democratic maturity of the Montenegrin society. Mrs. Plaks and Mr. Grigorev expressed keen interest in working with Montenegros state institutions on projects developing strategies towards minorities and their position in the society.

Prime Minister Sturanovic thanked the Project for taking an active role in the democratization of the Montenegrin society. He also confirmed Montenegros commitment to remain on the path of developing solid and harmonious interethnic relations, for which Montenegro is recognizable in the region. The role of ethnic minorities in strategic state issues was described as very constructive. Prime Minister Sturanovic emphasized the importance the new Constitution, which offered the concept of a civic state, with full respect for the specificities of ethnic minorities.

In the process of promoting human and minority rights and harmonizing national legislation with international standards, Montenegro will maintain dynamic and open cooperation with the Project on Ethnic Relations and similar organizations, giving special consideration to such issues, with a view to developing core civic values, Prime Minister Sturanovic said.