Prime Minister’s Office: Key conditions unmet for Defence and Security Council decisions

In the interest of informing the public comprehensively and addressing the non-continuation of the Defence and Security Council session, we provide the following update:

The session of the Defence and Security Council, initially convened on 11 October, included the attendance of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, as has consistently been the case since the Council's inception.

The continuation of this session was scheduled for today (10 December). In preparation, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, as a Council member, requested that the session proceed in the same format. This request was particularly crucial as one of the key agenda items involved the Defence Minister’s proposal on Montenegro's participation in NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine – NSATU.

To that end, the Prime Minister’s Office sent an official email to the Council Secretary, Colonel Velibor Bakrač, at 16:35 on 9 December, formally requesting the presence of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff at the session continuation.

Upon learning from media reports about the President of Montenegro's opposition to this request, the Prime Minister’s Office reiterated the necessity of the Prime Minister's proposal to ensure the minimum conditions for informed and effective decision-making.

Given the absence of a response from the Council Secretary to the Prime Minister’s request, the conditions for holding the session were not met. The Prime Minister reiterates that input and explanation from the Defence Minister and the Chief of the General Staff are essential for decisions related to defence matters.

In light of this situation, the Prime Minister’s Office emphasizes the need to return to constitutional foundations and adhere strictly to the established rules of procedure of the Council.

While regretting that the President of Montenegro refuses to ensure the necessary conditions for Council members to perform their duties—thereby impeding the Council’s function—the Government remains steadfast in upholding the Constitution and the Council's rules of procedure. Individual interpretations cannot supersede the law, particularly given that the Council operates on collegiality and consensus.

The message to our international partners and the citizens of Montenegro is clear: the Government remains committed to transparency, accountability, and professionalism in decision-making processes.