Mr Suljo Mustafić, Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro and Mr Dritan Abazović, member of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, participated in the Conference “Contribution of Parliaments to NATO Enlargement”, organised on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Lithuania’s joining NATO, by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, in Vilnius. 

The Conference topics included perspectives and implications of possible NATO enlargement in light of the new security challenges, awaiting NATO Summit which would be held this year, as well as the European states and their path toward the Euro-Atlantic integration following the Cold War, role of parliaments and main challenges in that process.  

Opening the working part of the Conference, Ms Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, addressed the participants. Pointing out the significance of the NATO Alliance membership of Lithuania, she recalled the contribution of NATO in preserving the peace and stability in Lithuania. The Speaker of the Seimas also expressed her position that, with its enlargement, the NATO contributed to strengthening of the Alliance and expanding of the secured zone of peace, security and democracy.

Within the session relating to the NATO enlargement, Mr Suljo Mustafić, Vice President of the Parliament, and Mr Dritan Abazović, MP, addressed the participants.

On that occasion, Vice President Mustafić informed the participants of the Conference on the activities and successes of Montenegro on its path toward the Euro-Atlantic integration, pointing out the necessity of strengthening the role of the Parliament of Montenegro in this process, especially in the part relating to informing the citizens on the benefits of the Alliance membership.

Noting that the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration are interlinked and compatible, Mr Mustafić used the opportunity to invite his colleague parliamentarians, representatives of the NATO member states, to support Montenegro’s aspirations toward the membership in the NATO alliance.

 “Montenegro is a factor of stability in the Western Balkans, and at the same time an important and reliable partner of the NATO alliance. In that sense, I expect that Montenegro will get the membership invitation, at the upcoming NATO Summit in Wales”, concluded Mr Mustafić.

In his address, the MP Abazović also requested the support to the Euro-Atlantic path of Montenegro, and expressed his expectation that Montenegro would get the membership invitation at the upcoming NATO Summit. Mr Abazović pointed out that by joining the NATO alliance, Montenegro would be among the states sharing the same democratic values and that the membership would accelerate the process of reforms and democratisation of society in Montenegro.  

The participants in the Conference were addressed, among others, by Mr Linas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania; Mr Juozas Olekas, Minister of National Defence; Dr Karl A. Lamers, Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly; and Mr Adam Schiff, member of the United States House of Representatives.

The International Conference in Vilnius gathered a large number of NATO member states representatives of the parliaments, as well as parliamentarians from the countries aspiring to the Alliance membership.