President Milanović: Montenegro Deserves its Place in the European Union
The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović attended together with his counterpart the President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the National Community of Montenegrins in Croatia.
Addressing the guests at the ceremony, which was held in the Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall under the auspices of the two presidents, President Milanović highlighted the European identity and values characteristic of the Montenegrins. “To me this identity is something so special, unique and ineradicable, and it in no way threatens the endurance of an idea and a path that is inevitably and unshakeably European,” said the Croatian President.
Speaking in regard to the European path of Montenegro, President Milanović said that Croatia has experience in the EU accession process and that it had knowledge, perseverance and also some luck. “You can count on my support and on the support of the Croatian Government for that process to be completed as soon as possible because your country deserves membership. It has made huge progress in the last 20 years,” emphasized President Milanović.
“Montenegro deserves its place in the European Union. Montenegro is a member of NATO and it is good that it is so. There have been some attempts to depreciate and undermine that recently. I do not want that a delicate situation may endanger the stability of Montenegro. You are neighbours and I have an understanding for the sentiment of those who are members of your society, who feel different and who believe that their prospects are northeast. That is a social and political fact. Agreement, conversation and persuasion – that is what I want to see in a modern, special, beautiful and in every way unique Montenegro, in the country and among its people,” said President Milanović.
President Milanović pointed out that he was happy with the presence of Montenegrins in the Croatian society, whom he said he doesn’t perceive as a minority. “It is a special community, it is not autochthonous in the way that some other communities are, but these people are part of our space and our cities. They came here, gave their all and received something in return. For such a small people, the knowledge, experience and contribution of ethnic Montenegrins to the Croatian society, culture, economy, the business sector and arts is great,” President Milanović said at the ceremony.
“I wish you many more happy anniversaries. You have established a state and now I want it to progress. Preserve your culture and identity, it is part of Europe and part of the eastern Christian heritage, it is part of the Orthodox denomination – without it the Mountain Wreath does not exist – it is modern and secular. All that is the present-day European Montenegro,” concluded President Milanović.
The President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović also addressed the guests at the ceremony. He spoke about the role of Montenegrins in Croatia and thanked the Republic of Croatia for its support during Montenegro’s accession to NATO and the ongoing EU integration process. Speaking at the event apart from the two presidents were the President of the National Community of Montenegrins in Croatia Danilo Ivezić and the President of the Council for National Minorities of the Republic of Croatia Aleksandar Tolnauer. Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić was alongside President Milanović.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas