Opening address by Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic at the 39th INTERPOL European Regional Conference

MILO DJUKANOVIC, PRIME MINISTER OF MONTENEGRO
ADDRESS AT 39TH INTERPOL EUROPEAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE


Dear President of INTERPOL,
Your excellencies,
Dear participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I wish you a warm welcome to Montenegro and I express great satisfaction that Montenegro is the host of the 39th INTERPOL European Regional Conference. The unanimous selection of Montenegro as the host country of such an important and prestigious European event is a great honour for us. Just as was Montenegro’s unanimous admission to full membership of the International Criminal Police Organization INTERPOL in September 2006, only several months after the restoration of Montenegro’s statehood. I thank you for all your support, which we also take as an important recognition of our efforts, cooperation and Montenegro’s contribution to the fight against all forms of transnational crime and strengthening of global security.

Montenegro is a small country, of Balkan, European and Mediterranean affiliation, with great European and Euro-Atlantic ambitions and aspirations. We have demonstrated our readiness and capability to use our potential, opportunities and prospects for integration processes. As well as to act as a responsible and dependable partner in tackling modern-day challenges, which require fast adjustments and responses. Today, Montenegro is a MAP member, with real prospects of obtaining EU candidate status and a recommendation for the opening of EU accession talks, after only two and a half years since the establishment of the first contractual relationship with the EU. We are proud that Montenegro has been recognized as a regional stability factor, a promoter of good relations and cooperation in the region. As well as that relevant international quarters perceive Montenegro as a model for multiethnic democracy in the Balkans. I hope it is not too pretentions to say that, through our example, we have confirmed that, nowadays, a country’s influence in regional and wider contexts is increasingly valued for its contribution in promoting universal values, such as peace, stability and security, rather than for the size of its territory and population.

One of the key characteristics of today’s world is deep interdependence – in the political, economic, security and any other sense. Contemporary challenges are complex and global, which calls for a united and global response. This is particularly true for the fight against organized crime, which knows no borders. This puts an additional emphasis on the importance of being a member and taking an active part in the activities of INTERPOL, which owing to its unique structure, operational services and databases, effectively coordinates international police cooperation towards preventing and suppressing crime.

Strengthening of cooperation in all aspects of justice, freedom and security is a modern-day imperative. Furthermore, one of the key requirements for the achievement of this goal is the strengthening of the rule of law and development of the capacities of national judicial and police authorities. I find this particularly important in our region, which has, owing to the conflicts and wars of the past century, become a fruitful ground for the activities of various criminal groups. All this underlines the importance of regional cooperation and full integration of the region into the EU and NATO. From the perspective of the Government of Montenegro, being a member of these organizations is, above all, a guarantee for long-term stability of the region and security of the European continent. Furthermore, it is once again confirmed, in this part of Europe, that the integration mechanism acts as an effective catalyst for the required reforms and the development of the entire system, in accordance with European standards and values.

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

The results achieved by the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL Podgorica and the Police Administration in less than four years of their work, in the context of Montenegro’s overall progress in European and Euro-Atlantic integration, clearly demonstrate our political determination and capability to meet all the commitments arising from our membership of INTERPOL and to give our contribution to the fight against transnational crime, terrorism and other security challenges and threats. I trust that today’s signing of the Memorandum on Establishment of Secure Communication Link between the Police Administration of Montenegro and EUROPOL is an important step in that direction.

I am confident that this year’s Conference would make a concrete contribution to further strengthening of cooperation in the fight against transnational and cybercrime. This is suggested by the choice of the theme for this year’s conference and the impressive number of distinguished delegates from INTERPOL and its European member states.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank you for your participation, I wish you every success in your work and a pleasant stay in Montenegro. To this end I hereby declare the 39th European Regional Conference open.

Thank you for your attention.

Becici, 26 May 2010