Council for NATO holds its first session

The Council for NATO held its first session in new composition, chaired by President of the Council Dritan Abazović.‎

‎Ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit, which will be held on 11-12 July in Vilnius, Lithuania, the first session of the Council was an opportunity to exchange views on current tasks on the Alliance's agenda and the steps taken since last year's Summit in Madrid, where the new NATO Strategic Concept was adopted and when deterrence and defence were defined as the most important of the Alliance's three tasks. The briefing on this topic was held by State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence and National Coordinator for NATO Krsto Perović‎‎. Among other things, Perović informed the council members more closely about the decisions that the leaders of the NATO member states should agree in Vilnius, as well as the contribution and obligations of Montenegro as a full member.‎ 

‎Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Montenegro, Brigadier ‎‎General Zoran Lazarević‎‎, spoke about the military adaptation of the Alliance in light of current security challenges, introducing the members of the Council with the aspects of harmonisation of national and collective defence planning.‎

‎The session also discussed the Western Balkans region, in the context of the current situation at the international level and the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective of the region.‎

‎The session confirmed the Government's firm commitment to the key tasks of the Alliance and allied efforts to preserve stability in and beyond the Euro-Atlantic area. Considering that the Government allocated 2% of GDP for defence purposes for this year, the Council noted that the planned funds should be invested in the development of military and defence capabilities and capabilities in accordance with national and collective needs and priorities.‎