PM Krivokapić participates in the eleventh 2BS Forum

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić participated today, via video link, in the eleventh 2BS Forum, organised by the Atlantic Council of Montenegro.

In his introductory address, the Prime Minister said that Montenegro has never been closer to NATO and the EU and this is best illustrated by the surveys showing that after this Government was formed by at least 10% of the citizens increased their trust in both NATO and the EU integration processes.

Referring to the moderator's comment that the EC Progress Report on Montenegro will be negative, the Prime Minister added: Whatever negative there is in the report, the Government will definitely do its best to remove the problems in the shortest time possible, to the satisfaction of all citizens.

The Prime Minister also stated that the Government is facing a handful of inherited problems, with special emphasis on the unreformed prosecution and judiciary: Someone just mentioned that in the Western Blakans there are some weak states. I claim that the state is weak if institutions are weak. (…) Montenegro is a country of all its citizens. Whatever we are like, we can't change ourselves but we can reconcile with ourselves and others, if we all contribute to reconciliation.

Regarding Montenegro's foreign policy orientation, PM Krivokapić stated that the Government is absolutely committed to the European and Euro-Atlantic path: We have no other way. This has been projected and we will follow that with full commitment. What is our advantage over previous systems? Our advantage is predictability, honesty and truthfulness.

When asked by the moderator how he commented on the assessments of Russian influence in the Western Balkans, the Prime Minister stated: This Government is following, in diplomatic and security context, all recommendation of the EU. As for these impacts, don’t tell me they were created during this Government and that we did not have it long before, right from the moment when someone, consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally, introduced Russian tycoons into the Montenegrin economic system.

The Prime Minister added that the Government could not be blamed for the current dysfunctionality of the Parliament, concluding: The future of Montenegro is prosperity, not an attitude which forgets about citizens. (…) My country is Montenegro. I am only focusing on the future of this country, and the future of all its citizens, and I want our families to stay here, rather than go elsewhere. We must end economic discrimination.