President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović, participated today in Cetinje at the regional meeting on "Regional Cooperation and Security" that has brought together chairmen of the security and defense committees and heads of foreign delegations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia. In the framework of exchange of opinions on regional security and cooperation and current security challenges, organised by the Security and Defense Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro, the participants were also addressed by Mr Zoran Pažin, Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Home and Foreign Policy and the Minister of Justice, Mr Predrag Bošković, Minister of Defence, Mr Dragan Pejanović, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, and Mr Mišo Stanišić. Chairperson of the Defense and Security Committee.
Presentation of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović
I am pleased to be in a position, on behalf of the Parliament of Montenegro, to welcome you to the Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. Cetinje is a town - a symbol of the duration of Montenegro, its freedom and independence.
I will remind you that Montenegro, one of the oldest countries in this region, in 2006 peacefully in the referendum and respecting the highest democratic standards, restored its state dignity. Voting in favour of independence, above all else, we have opted for the possibility that we ourselves, guided by our interests, decide on the future of the country which we live in.
We managed to preserve the territory of Montenegro from war destruction and its traditional multiethnic, multi-religious and multicultural harmony, despite the fact that in the period of searching for ourselves, we were often victims of others' intentions and interests. We have achieved the dream of our ancestors driven by the desire to provide peace, a stable environment and a better life for future generations.
By nurturing the policy of good neighborly relations, fully devoted to regional cooperation and comprehensive reforms, we have succeeded, for the period of these eleven years, to become a member of NATO and the country that has made significant progress in the process of EU integration.
The progress achieved and readiness to face further challenges have made us a credible, equal member of the Alliance. The membership to the NATO Alliance, also obliges us to the higher quality, it leads us to strive for further results in the field of the rule of law and the economic well-being of society.
I am convinced that we all have a clear vision of the future of the region and I believe that we can contribute to writing the new pages of history by advocating and sharing the same values, facilitating active integration of all countries in this region into European and Euro-Atlantic flows.
Unfortunately we, coming from these areas, are witnessing terrible consequences that can cause prejudice, mutual misunderstanding, lack of dialogue and cooperation. It is precisely for this reason that we have greater responsibility to point out to others that numerous challenges that Europe has been facing today, must not be a call for populism, blinding nationalism, building walls and isolation, but on the contrary, they need to generate stronger interconnection and cooperation.
European values are and must be our main guiding principle, without neglecting the traditional, identity and cultural characteristics of individual countries. As a model of a multiconfessional harmony, as a country where many nations live and where holidays of three faiths are equally celebrated, Montenegro can be an example of cohesion for other countries and these are the values we are particularly proud of.
I think that today, more than ever before, it is necessary to have faith in the vision of European communion. The European Union was created thanks to the dedication of its ideological creators to peace, unity and prosperity. Let us not forget that the policy of enlargement is one of the most successful EU policies and that the vitality of each unity depends on the fresh energy and ideas that new members unquestionably bring.
When we talk about security and safety issues, we must be aware that no country is strong enough to face migration, transnational crime, climate change consequences or terrorism on its own. At the same time, it is very important for us to know that no country can be sure of its full stability, if it belongs to an unstable surroundings. All these and other questions point to the need for the level of cooperation to be improved, and that the agreed measures and initiatives need to be strengthened more in order to strengthen the security and stability of the region.
I am convinced that our further parliamentary cooperation will enable us to complement each other with our diversity, to overcome prejudice, establish new opportunities for joint action and to give the right answers to the problems that we all have been facing.
I am convinced that you know - you will always have a sincere friend in Montenegro, ready to contribute to the development and further strengthening of mechanisms of regional cooperation and security.
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President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mr Paolo Alli, sent a message to the participants of the Conference on "Regional Cooperation and Security", which underlines that the accession of Montenegro to NATO and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly was a recognition of the country's decisive commitment to the defense of common security and the enhancement of common values.
President Alli pointed out that this was also a clear proof of NATO's commitment to the stability in the Western Balkans and the sign that the door has been open to all those countries in the region and throughout Europe that were ready and able to improve Euro-Atlantic security. "I am proud that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly played an active role in supporting Montenegro's accession to NATO, especially at the crucial last stage, when it played a significant role in maintaining the momentum towards a speedy ratification of the Protocol in national parliaments," Mr Paolo Alli said.
Presentation of the President Brajović at the Conference on "Regional Cooperation and Security"
Conference on "Regional Cooperation and Security"
