Vice-President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Suljo Mustafić, spoke at the panel discussion on NATO integration of Montenegro that was held in Rožaje.

Beside the Vice-President Mustafić, the ambassadors of the Republic of Turkey and Hungary – Mr Mehmet Niyazi Tanilir and Mr Krisztian Posa participated at the discussion.

- We feel certain about receiving the invitation to join NATO during this year, if we make appreciable results in the areas of strengthening the rule of law, security and defense sector reform, and strengthening public support for Montenegro's membership in NATO in the months to come, and of course, if the geopolitical circumstances do not interfere into the existing concept of support for the enlargement process. However, if it happens that the invitation is not handed until the end of this year, we think that in no case that should mean for us either to turn around or abandon this goal, Mr Mustafić said.

"The greatest responsibility for achieving these results is upon the institutions that have so far led this process - especially the Government, followed byand all the others that are part of this process, including, of course, the Parliament and political parties. I think it should be good for us to consider the shortcomings in the existing strategy and its implementation, work on their elimination and decisively devote to fulfilling of obligations".

"The process of joining NATO is complementary to the European integration, because to approach the EU should also mean compliance with NATO standards. We are talking about integration into two alliances, which have many common values, the path all the countries of the region have passed, which in recent times have become members of the EU. For each of them, without exception, NATO was the gate they had to pass before entering the EU. The rule of law, reduction of corruption and crime, respect for fundamental human rights and in this context the rights of minority ethnic communities, democratic transition, strengthening of institutions, economic and political stability, are some of the important goals of these integrations", Mr Mustafićsaid.

"Whether we talk about the Ukrainian crisis or recent conflicts in the Middle East, almost tectonic shifts in security warn us how quickly a seemingly stable area can turn into the unstable one. In addition, this very experience, and the image of the Balkans today, where extremism and large state projects are still alive, warn us that Montenegro, as a small country, should be part of major security integration processes, where its safety becomes part of the overall strategy of that alliance."

"Minority people are perhaps those who most understand this and therefore such a high level of support to NATO integration in these environments. Happenings around us, not so long ago, just yesterday, in Macedonia, confirm that we perceive this situation in a correct way. I think that now more people understand the need to position Montenegro in wider security integration, into a system that is the defensive framework, where the same rules apply to everyone - small and large ones. Therefore, the security of each state individually, as a NATO member, is an obligation of the entire alliance."

Political stability is a necessary precondition for economic perspective, because capital is not invested where political instability exists. Such areas are not attractive for investors, there are no greater development projects, therefore no economic prosperity. We aim to have a richer and healthier society, which means a stable and interesting for investment.

Without investments there is no development, of neither north nor south, nor tourism, or even agriculture and infrastructure, not even roads. So there is no serious improvement of the economic environment or conditions for a better standard of living and prospects for young people. Of course, joining the NATO itself is not enough a condition for better living. However, creating the conditions for a secure life, means opening prospects for economic investments, poverty reduction and the launch of the economy."

- Commitment to NATO integration, which should be confirmed in the Parliament, after receiving the invitation, through the democratic expression of the elected representatives of the citizens, has the support of the communities where Bosniaks and other minority peoples live. Primarily because we wish well for our country, safety and security have no price, we want our children to live in this region, in our Montenegro, safely, together with their neighbors of other religions and nations, in richer and healthier society, and with greater perspective than it is today or in the recent past, Mr Mustafić concluded.