- Aware of the fact that strength of every society is measured by the strength of its institutions, we in Montenegro, since renewing our independence, have worked diligently on strengthening the rule of law and on increasing the democratic capacity of our institutions. After implementing the demanding reforms and fulfilling the necessary criteria, last year we became the 29th NATO member. Now, all available capacities of our society are focused even more on achieving the second foreign policy priority of our country – membership in the European Union. We see the process of European integration as the best framework for implementing the overall reforms and meeting the highest standards aimed primarily at improving the life quality of each citizen – said among other things President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ivan Brajović in his address to the participants in the OSCE PA Winter Meeting in Vienna.
Awaiting the upcoming presidential election, the President of the Parliament in his address reminded of the fact that a majority of the ODIHR recommendations have been adopted and that the upcoming election cycles in Montenegro would be met with additionally improved electoral legislation.
- The amendments to the Law on Election of Councillors and MPs have not been adopted due to the fact that we faced an absurd situation: the opposition, which uses the election environment as an excuse for their election failures, did not show willingness to contribute to its improvement. The upcoming presidential election in Montenegro will be monitored by the OSCE/ODIHR observers as well as the observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe who responded positively to the invitation I sent to them on the very day I called for the elections - concluded the President of the Parliament of Montenegro.
At the meeting with OSCE Secretary General Mr Thomas Greminger, they discussed
this organisation’s further support to reforms in Montenegro, commitment of the Parliament to multilateral reforms, as well as the exceptional cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. The Secretary General believes that the adoption of amendments to the electoral legislation in the Parliament is a good step towards meeting the ODIHR recommendations following the 2016 parliamentary elections and emphasising that the remainder of the opposition should return to the Parliament to serve the interests of its citizens.
- Boycotting the Parliamentary work achieves nothing, but political dialogue can. Considering that the presidential election is approaching, I would encourage all political parties to behave responsibly and in accordance with their duties - emphasised the OSCE Secretary General.
He emphasised that the OSCE Mission to Montenegro would continue to provide technical support to SEC so that it could strengthen capacities for administering election.
- The OSCE Field Mission in Montenegro has been cooperating with your Parliament for a long time, and will continue to work in partnership with relevant Montenegrin authorities in order to jointly implement planned activities - concluded Mr Greminger.
Following the meeting with President Brajović, Mr Vincenzo Amendola, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy - the country that chairs the OSCE in 2018, said the following:
- I would like to thank President of the Parliament of Montenegro for his work and the work done by Montenegro. Above all, I would like to thank Montenegrin leadership which made significant steps forward. By this I mean NATO integration, great work within the OSCE, and - with the support of a large number of friends, including Italy - the EU integration. In a complicated time for international relations, the alliances must be strengthened. Montenegro’s presence in NATO strengthens them all together.”
In continuation of the OSCE PA Winter Meeting, President Brajović will have a series of bilateral meetings with the OSCE’s senior officials, as well as with the Speaker of the Parliament of Austria.
The delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro includes MPs Ms Aleksandra Vuković and Mr Nikola Rakočević.
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Address of President Brajović
- Statement of Thomas Greminger, OSCE Secretary General
VIDEO
Speech of President Brajović
Statement of OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger
Statement of Vincenzo Amendola
Cover footage - OSCE Vienna
