Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State and US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said that the current the Montenegrin government enjoys the support of the USA "as long as it is democratic and focused on the country's European future".
To the statement of the moderator of the conversation at the 2BS (To Be Secure) forum, that at the last NATO summit there was informally expressed the fear that it is dangerous to share all the information with the new government in Podgorica, and to his question whether he sees a problem in that, Eskobar replied that "does not want to speak on behalf of NATO", but that this concern is real and that people in Crma Gora should take it "very seriously".
He said that NATO has many ways to keep information, and added that every government should be aware that this is something that weakens both it and the country.
Escobar said that the only solution to the tensions in the Balkans is the membership of the countries of the region in the European Union (EU).
"We have always believed that the key to the stability of this region is its membership in the EU," he underlined.
Although he believes that American policy towards the region has not changed depending on the administrations and that they all aim to establish the rule of law, the fight against corruption and the development of democratic institutions, Escobar announced a more intense presence and commitment of the USA to the region, including, as said, and the clear focus of US President Joseph Biden on this area.
Answering the question of how the USA can help the countries of the Balkans to achieve stability, he said that the USA has a large budget that can help the region achieve the planned results.
"At a higher level, we use every opportunity to encourage our European partners to speed up the process of integration in the Balkans, which is a region of great potential".
Commenting on Russia's interference in the internal affairs of Montenegro, Escobar said that the US "has both a diplomatic and political response in order to isolate the forces that do not want a sovereign and democratic Montenegro."
He distinguishes between "pro-Russian and pro-Serbian forces".
"The pro-Russian forces in Montenegro should understand that Montenegro should be a sovereign, democratic, western-oriented member of NATO," Escobar said, adding that for those forces that are undermining the progress of the country that has been a success story for almost 25 years, the U.S. have the answer in the form of sanctions and political pressure, and in Montenegro the isolation of the forces that have such efforts.
As stated in the announcement, Escobar agrees that the current situation in the Balkans has many similarities with the 90s of the last century when ethnic tensions rose and there were many who wanted to take advantage of them.
"Many positive things have happened since Dayton, and when you analyze them, you will see that they were all the result of Euro-Atlantic integration. That is why we mention to our European partners the need to accelerate integration, and that is why the Balkans are always high on our agenda when we talk to them," he said. is Escobar,.
He is convinced that Europe will realize the enormous potential of the Balkans and that in three years this area will be a prosperous region.
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