BSF: Montenegro contributed to security in the region

Montenegro has made progress in terms of integration processes into the European Union (EU) and contributed to stability and security in the Western Balkans, it was assessed at the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Srđan Darmanović, participated today in the BSF, which, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia and the Center for European Perspective, was held in Bled.

The forum was attended by the Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Moldova, Macedonia, Slovakia, Romania, Turkey and Malta, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Federica Mogherini, and the EU Commissioner for Mobility and Transport, Violeta Bulc.

As announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Forum was attended by representatives of many regional and international organizations (UN, UNHCR, IAEA, NATO, OECD, EEAC, EBRD, RCC, UFM), as well as representatives of the business sector, the academic community, non-governmental organizations and media.

This year's BSF, titled "New Reality", was dedicated to finding modalities for adapting to changes in the global environment and promoting innovation and the digital economy for an inclusive and sustainable future.

"At the forum, opinions were exchanged on a number of topics that are important for the region of Southeast Europe. "Special attention is devoted to consideration of opportunities for improving economic cooperation, providing stronger infrastructural connections and achieving stronger coordination between EU countries and countries that are on the way," says the announcement.

Also, as stated, the migrant crisis and terrorist threats were discussed and the need for further implementation of activities on the prevention and suppression of these phenomena was noted.

"In the context of the dynamics and challenges in terms of the integration processes of the countries of the region, Montenegro's progress on the road to the EU was praised, as well as its contribution to stability and security in the Western Balkans," the announcement reads.

It is added that an informal meeting of the countries participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Western Balkans Fund members were held within the framework of the BSF.

As announced, at the SEECP ministerial meeting, Slovenia presented the priorities of its presidency, the focus of which will be support for the European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans.

The Ministry said that the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the members of the Fund for the Western Balkans was an opportunity for the official inauguration of the Fund for the Western Balkans, based in Tirana.

"The heads of diplomacy of the region welcomed the official start of the Fund, which represents a mechanism for further improvement of project-oriented cooperation in the field of culture and cultural heritage, science and research, the issue of youth and cross-border cooperation," the press release states.

Darmanović, together with the heads of diplomacy of the countries of the region, was a speaker on the panel "Western Balkans: EU Enlargement - Will there really be an enlargement?", which was dedicated to the European integration of the region, relations between countries, the political situation in the EU and the functioning of numerous regional organizations and initiatives.

The Ministratsv said that Darmanović, on the sidelines of the BSF, had separate meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Teodor Meleskanu, and Malta, Karbel Abel, as well as meetings with the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Fathalah Sijilmasi, and the High Representative of the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR), Valentin Inzko.