President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ivan Brajović heads a delegation at the VI plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process which is being held in Sarajevo on 21 and 22 June 2019.
In his speech on: “Better Connectivity for Better Life – How to bring about a real change within regional cooperation process?”, President Brajović said that Montenegro - as a NATO member and according to the level of achieved development the first next EU member - was aware of the importance of building a partner relation, as well as better interstate connectivity in all fields of sustainable economic and social development, including a safer future that our citizens expected:
Montenegro supports aims established by the RCC, regarding the connectivity. Signing of agreement, which brings us a step closer to the roaming zone, best demonstrates the tangible benefits of regional cooperation - pointed out the President of the Parliament, saying that Montenegro as the next presiding country of the Central European Initiative, would make efforts to strengthen mechanisms for the regional coordination.
President Brajović stated that parliamentary connectivity and good cooperation must provide incentive for governments to promote economic cooperation.
- Improvement of road, rail, energy and information-communication connections are a precondition for better economic and social cohesion within Southeast Europe. Only in this case can we expect accelerated development that will improve the quality of life in our region - emphasised, among other things, the President of the Parliament.
The event in Sarajevo was also an opportunity to meet with senior officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During his stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, President Brajović also had separate conversations with a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mr Šefik Džaferović, as well as a member of the Collegium of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly Mr Denis Zvizdić, at the same time the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During both conversations, it was assessed that the two states had excellent friendly relations that represented an example of good neighbourly relations in the region, and in that context they especially emphasised the significance of parliamentary cooperation. It was also noted that there was significant potential for further strengthening of the overall relations, especially in the field of economy, whereby the significance of improving road infrastructure was emphasised.
The President of the Parliament exchanged views with the most senior officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina on economic indicators, current political and social domestic developments, as well as the European perspective of the Western Balkans.
It was concluded at the meetings that steady reforms being implemented by both countries within the process of European integration required specific steps by the European partners whose positive messages were very important for all the countries in the region. They also emphasised the need for the European Union to show that it was viewing all problems and circumstances in the right way, as well as that it continuously reaffirmed a clear European perspective of the states that meet the required criteria.
Emphasising the significance of NATO’s membership for our country, President Brajović reiterated Montenegro’s readiness to help all the countries that want to follow it on that path.
The delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro also includes Mr Radule Novović, MP, who is also the current Chairperson of the General Committee on Social Development, Education, Research and Science of the SEECP PA.
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The Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP PA) was established in 2014, as a result of the multiannual work of participating states on the institutionalisation of the parliamentary dimension of this initiative. The South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) is a regional framework founded in 1996, aimed at promoting and strengthening good neighbourly relations between the SEE countries and transforming the region into the area of peace, security, stability, and cooperation.
The SEECP PA participants are the following 13 countries: Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Kosovo, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Turkey.
In 2020, Montenegro will chair the Parliamentary Assembly of the SEECP.
Speech by President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ivan Brajović
Footage - SEECP PA Sarajevo
