Ministry of Defense: NATO Membership is a Privilege and Responsibility

For Montenegro, NATO membership represents both a privilege and a responsibility, as well as an opportunity to be part of a community based on shared values, but also an obligation to contribute to its strength and unity through its actions, the Ministry of Defense announced on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of Montenegro becoming the 29th member of the alliance.

As they pointed out, this achieved one of Montenegro's key foreign policy priorities.

"By joining the Alliance, Montenegro has taken its place in the collective security system in which, on an equal footing with its allies, it participates in decision-making aimed at preserving peace, stability and the international legal order. For our country, NATO membership represents both a privilege and a responsibility, as well as an opportunity to be part of a community based on shared values, but also an obligation to contribute to its strength and unity through our actions. Therefore, we will continue to actively participate in activities aimed at strengthening the deterrence and defense of the Alliance," the statement said.

Dragan Krapović's department said that Montenegro will continue to "deploy its members in the battle groups of NATO forward land forces in Latvia and Bulgaria, while, through participation in the NATO KFOR mission and the naval operation in the Mediterranean, it will continue to contribute to preserving peace and security."

"At the same time, we will continue to modernize defense capacities and equip the Army of Montenegro in accordance with NATO standards, investing in the knowledge of our people, the development of institutions and the ability to respond to modern security challenges. We will provide the necessary funds for these goals, in accordance with the decisions of the allies to strengthen defense investments," they said.

As they said, today, when Montenegro is hosting one of the most important gatherings of European leaders and is one step closer to achieving its strategic goal, membership in the European Union, they once again confirm their commitment to the values ​​they share with their allies.

"We will continue to prove with concrete results that NATO has a reliable partner, a responsible ally and an important factor of stability in the Western Balkans in Montenegro. Happy 9th anniversary of Montenegro's membership in NATO. Together. Safely. Forever," they concluded in the statement.