Strasbourg: Address of Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Session of the Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe

MILAN ROĆEN, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MONTENEGRO:
(Address at the Session of the Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe,
Strasbourg, May 11, 2010)


Mr. Chairman,
Dear Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General,
Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to greet you on behalf of Montenegro. This is an important date in our modern history. On this day three years ago Montenegro became the youngest member country of the Council of Europe.

I would like to congratulate Switzerland on the excellent chairmanship. I am convinced that Macedonia will be a successful chair in the course of next six months, with our support to the priorities they set.

I would also like to express Montenegro’s full support to the Secretary General and his plans for reform and modernization of the work of the Council of Europe, especially in relation to the Budget, Program of Activities and presence in the field.

Montenegro is a small but stable country recognized for its multi-ethnic harmony and its contribution to the regional stability. We base our development on principles and values of the Council of Europe. We have achieved a considerable progress in the process of internal reforms, in European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The assistance of the Council of Europe and cooperation in fulfilling our post-accession commitments has been a strong impetus for the young Montenegrin democracy.

As a country that sees its future in united Europe, Montenegro particularly supports the partnership between the Council of Europe and the EU. We believe this is yet another framework and a potential for improvement of the rule of law and human rights and freedoms, which will in turn make our European path easier.

We strongly support the reform of the European Court of Human Rights. We see this institution as a crown of the legal accomplishments and general democratic progress though time. We welcome the introduction of adequate methods to filter the cases before the Court in order to increase its efficiency, along the lines of Declaration from Interlaken. We will support this process best by strengthening the independent judiciary and stable legal framework on national levels.

Regional cooperation is Montenegro’s top priority. We are very interested in stability and democratic prosperity of all our neighbors. The relations between Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina can serve as an example to everyone in the region. We believe our friends in BH, supported by the EU, Council of Europe and the international community can find the simplest and the best constitutional solutions which will facilitate their further progress in European and Euro-Atlantic course. Security, building tolerance, faster economic growth and stronger rule of law - represent a formula for success of all the countries of the Western Balkans. At the same time, they are our best recommendation for accomplishment of shared strategic goals.

The Council of Europe has its vital role in these processes. This is why we believe that Strasbourg is an indispensable stop on our way to Brussels.

Thank you.