Chairperson of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants Mr Miodrag Vuković docent PhD informed the ambassadors on the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro adopted last year, abolishing the Committee on International Relations and European Integration, and establishing two new committees: Committee on International Relations and Emigrants and the Committee on European Integration.

Chairperson Vuković informed the ambassadors on competencies of the newly formed Committee, which is, apart from the issues of foreign policy and international relations, also in charge of promotion and protection of rights of the emigrants form Montenegro who live in other countries.

Chairperson Vuković also pointed out to results Montenegro had achieved in the field of European integration, and emphasised that the parliamentary diplomacy in that process was an important segment of action.

Speaking of international activities of the Committee, Chairperson Vuković especially emphasised the significance of friendship groups as one of the types of international cooperation of the Parliament of Montenegro with parliaments of other countries. On that occasion, he informed the ambassadors that the Parliament of Montenegro had formally established relations with twenty one parliaments, that the process of forming friendship groups was on-going, and that the final proposal of friendship groups and their adoption was expected soon.

Chairperson Vuković pointed out that the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants was working on promotion of cooperation of the Parliament of Montenegro and other parliaments on bilateral and multilateral level within and through participation in many gatherings of international organisations and regional initiatives.

Chairperson of the Committee also said that there was a continuously good cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

At the meeting, the ambassadors to the United Nations and United States of America pointed out that the presence of MPs in the American Congress is needed, in order to bring closer the image of Montenegro to the American congressmen.

Additionally, the ambassadors pointed out that it was necessary and desirable to include the parliamentarians in the state government delegations at the United Nations General Assembly, as well as in other types of work of the United Nations.