At today’s meeting, members of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants of the Parliament of Montenegro adopted 2014 Performance Report of the Committee and 2015 Work Plan of the Committee. The Performance Report contains a review of the overall Committee’s activities, which continuously performed its obligations in the reported period, regarding its legislative and oversight function and international activities as well, both in bilateral and multilateral aspects. The Committee members were devoted in the field of parliamentary diplomacy, recognizing the importance and potential for improving the cooperation at regional and global level. The Report recognises more active cooperation of the parliamentary working bodies with emigrants from Montenegro, stating the implemented activities with the association of emigrants and achieved new forms of cooperation with competent state authorities dealing with these issues. In 2014, the Committee considered 18 proposals for laws, held 14 consultative and one control hearing. The Committee considered and gave positive opinion on 12 candidates for Montenegro’s ambassadors abroad.

Apart from the international cooperation programme, the 2015 Work Plan envisages regular legislative and oversight role of the Committee. The Plan also envisages new activities, such as holding thematic meetings on contemporary issues, which will contribute to greater inclusion of civil society and citizens in Committee’s work. Activities covered by the Plan include: implementation of the priorities in the areas of foreign policy and cooperation with emigrants from Montenegro, which fall within under the competence of the Committee, intensifying parliamentary cooperation with countries that the Parliament has established friendship groups with as well as a possibility of forming new ones. The Plan also envisages the organisation of the XVIII Cetinje Parliamentary Forum on the topic of emigrants as a special even.