President of the National Council of Austria, Mr Wolfgang Sobotka, who is paying an official visit to Montenegro upon the invitation of the President of the Parliament, Mr Ivan Brajović, said after the meeting with the President of the Montenegrin Parliament that there have been several reasons for his visit to our country. The first reason is the improvement of bilateral parliamentary cooperation, and the second - providing support to the countries of the Western Balkans, first of all Montenegro, as a leader in the process of European integration.
- Austria supports the Montenegrin approach to the European Union, and there are several reasons for this - the first reason being the historical responsibility, that is, our common history. We share a common space in civilisation. The second reason is 70 years of peace project of the European Union. We have succeeded in securing peace, but not throughout Europe. For that reason, in order to achieve this initiative, that is, to have European Union as a Union of security, it is necessary to act uniquely. The next reason is the economy, that is, all individual economies in a certain economic space are more successful if economic cooperation is stronger.
The President of the National Council of Austria, presiding country of the Council of the European Union, announced a new fellowship program to be organised by the Austrian Parliament, and he also spoke about the work of the Parliament of Montenegro:
- Being here, let me congratulate Montenegro on achieving success in the return of the opposition forces to the Parliament. The democratic development of a society concerns both the opposition parties and the ruling ones. It is obvious that certain steps are being taken in the reform of the electoral legislation, which will also be reflected in the Montenegrin Progress Report of Montenegro.
President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović, said that the visit of the President of the National Council of Austria is even more important given the fact that Austria has been presiding over the Council of the European Union.
- It is important for us to be reminded that the Austrian Federal Chancellor, Mr Kurz, visited Montenegro few days ago. Visits of the highest officials of Austria show how much Austria has taken into account the interests of the Western Balkans, to point out - the interests of Montenegro in particular. It is important to us that Austria has been trying and been able to raise awareness among other members of the European Union about the importance of the enlargement of the European Union. On the other hand, I am free to say that Montenegro has been the most credible promoter of European values in the Western Balkans. With our example, we have best shown to other countries in the region that the path of comprehensive reforms would eventually be worth the while, rewarded primarily by our citizens, and then by our European colleagues.
The President of the Parliament reminded that a very important segment in the extraordinary relations we have with Austria is an excellent parliamentary cooperation, achieved through meetings at the highest level and meetings of parliamentary bodies. He emphasised that there were friendship groups in both parliaments, and that Montenegrin MPs took part in several meetings organised within the parliamentary dimension of the Austrian presidency of the EU Council.
The delegation of the National Council of Austria met with members of the Committee on Further Reform of Electoral and Other Legislation, and with other Montenegrin officials as well.
An exhibition on important women of Austria in the past 200 years was opened in the Hall of the Parliament on the occasion of the visit of the President of the National Council of Austria to the Parliament of Montenegro, and will be opened for citizens to visit until the end of this week.
Presidents Brajović and Sobotka also visited the participants of "Barbara Prammer" Democracy Workshops.
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Ceremonial welcome of the President of the National Council of Austria
Mr Brajović – Mr Sobotka
Press statement of the President of the Parliament, Mr Ivan Brajović
Press statement of the President of the National Council of Austria, Mr Wolfgang Sobotka
Exhibition opening
Exhibition, tour of the Plenary Hall and the Democracy Workshops
