During the second day of the working visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the delegation of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants of the Parliament of Montenegro, headed by Miodrag Vuković, held meetings with high officials of the Government of Luxembourg – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn and the Minister of Family Issues, Integration and Great Region, Corinne Cahen, as well as with representatives of associations of our immigrants in Luxembourg. The delegation met informally with Agnes Rausch as well, member of the State Council of Luxembourg, a great friend of Montenegro
During the meeting with the Minister Asselborn, good bilateral relations between the two countries were highlighted, with the contribution of the parliamentary cooperation. Minister Asselborn welcomed Montenegro's progress in the field of European and Euro-Atlantic integration and stressed de Luxembourg would continue to support our country in achieving these two important foreign policy goals. In this context, Mr Asselborn stressed as positive the recent decision made by foreign ministers of NATO member states in terms of the dynamics of Montenegro's accession to the Alliance and said that it could confidently be expected that Montenegro would have become a full member of NATO by 2016, following the end of intensified negotiations in the end of next year. Mr Asselborn expressed satisfaction that Montenegro had very good relations with its neighbors, with whom there are very few open questions.
At the meeting with the Minister of Family Issues, Integration and Great Region, Corinne Cahen, members of the delegation became closely familiar with the competencies and activities of the Ministry, especially in the part related to the social integration of foreigners, as well as accommodation centers for asylum seekers. Interlocutors agreed to work together to eliminate the problem of so-called "bogus asylum seekers" from Montenegro, who come to Luxembourg solely for economic reasons, and whose applications had been rejected, because our country as a candidate for EU falls into the category of "safe countries".
During the meeting with representatives of associations of immigrants from Montenegro, delegation had the opportunity to be informed in detail with issues that were the focus of our immigrants, such as opening of the Representative Body of Montenegro in Luxembourg, opportunities for exercise of dual citizenship, the adoption of a law on cooperation with immigrants and other activity on the system addressing of relations of the state with immigrants, facilitation of voting abroad, opportunities for returnees and development projects, particularly in the north of Montenegro, opening of airline and easier connection with the head-quarters, and the possibility of providing education in their own language. Members of the delegation expressed their full readiness and openness for cooperation and to assist in resolving the issues raised, in the capacity of the parliamentary body that deals with immigrant issues within its competencies. They also stressed that this first visit had the aim of creating and strengthening good relations of the Committee and our immigrants in Luxembourg, which were the one of the largest immigrant communities from Montenegro.
Second day of the visit, aside from the members of the delegation, the meetings were attended by the Montenegro's Ambassador to Benelux countries, Vesko Garčević.