20 March 2019 - As a country that is firmly committed to multilateralism, the preservation of peace and boosting mutual trust, Montenegro sees dialogue as a necessary prerequisite for strengthening partnership in order to make the best use of countless potentials in different areas, primarily in tourism, culture, sustainable fisheries, clean energy, said Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković at the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative Conference.
"We appreciate the fact that, as the smallest country in this region, we represent a place of meeting, dialogue and cooperation," Prime Minister Marković pointed out at the conference.
Opening the 16th Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the Member States of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), taking place in Budva and sponsored by the Parliament of Montenegro during the the country's annual presidency of the Initiative, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of exchanging experience among the AII members, as well as strengthening values and standards that set the basis for close cooperation.
"I think that is of paramount importance, in particular in times of many challenges facing Europe and the whole world. The complex challenges to the stability of our continent cause a wide spectrum of repercussions on our economies and our development projects," the Prime Minister noted.
He added that the Western Balkans is an inseparable part of European values, and Montenegro, as the country that is most advanced in the process of EU accession, will be able to dedicate all its available capacities to its own and common European future.
"Montenegro is a NATO member today and is entering the last and most important stage in the accession negotiations with the EU. We do not move forward only by fulfilling the obligations set out in that process, but by continuously working on our development in order to be, as a stable and developed country, a reliable partner in the Union, as we are within NATO," said the Prime Minister.
The development of the economy, which has been growing at a rate above 4.5% and almost 11.000 more employees for two years, the volume and quality of foreign investments speaks of the solid and stable course of Montenegro - which is primarily determined by the tradition of religious harmony and good relations with neighbours.
