This year's celebration of Europe Month and marking Europe Day, in the spirit of unity of all Montenegrin municipalities, began with the "Biogradska gora vertical" race through the untouched rainforest of the Biogradska gora National Park, organized by the Tourist Organization of Kolašin and Mojkovac, with the support of the Delegation of the European Union through the "Municipalities for the EU" project. More than 40 participants from different parts of the country and the region took part in the race, according to a statement from the European House.
On behalf of the diplomatic corps and the Delegation of the European Union, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Montenegro, Boris Gandel, addressed the attendees. As stated in the press release, opening the Europe Day celebration and the race itself, Ambassador Gandel pointed out the progress that Montenegro has made on its European path, but also reminded of the clearly set goals of the executive branch.
"I sincerely wish that Montenegro reaches its goal as soon as possible - full membership in the European Union. I hope that this will happen by 2028, as announced by the current government. Today, you are symbolically running towards your goal, just as Montenegro is heading towards Brussels. Europe Day reminds us of the values we share - peace, unity, freedom and mutual support," Gandel said.
The Acting Head of the EU Integration Service of the Municipality of Kolašin, Milosava Bulatović, spoke about the importance of the support that the European Union provides to Montenegrin municipalities.
"We thank the Delegation of the European Union for its support. This race is not just a race, it is not just a path to the top - it symbolizes the effort made by the Municipality of Kolašin, our tourism organizations and the NGO sector to all together, on our path to Europe, adopt European values and build the future," Bulatović emphasized.
The European House statement states that the participants showed exceptional endurance and sportsmanship, and the best in the men's competition were Dušan Krstić (first place), Brano Baltić (second place) and Saša Radenović (third place). In the women's competition, Žudana Đokić was the fastest, Daria Bušikova was second, while Nataša Đurović won third place.
The European House reminded that Europe Day, which is celebrated every May 9, celebrates peace, unity and cooperation among European peoples. This date represents an opportunity to highlight the core values of the European Union – democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and solidarity – and to further emphasize the importance of the European integration process for the future of Montenegro, the statement said.
The European House reminded that Europe Day, which is celebrated every May 9, celebrates peace, unity and cooperation among European peoples. This date represents an opportunity to highlight the core values of the European Union – democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and solidarity – and to further emphasize the importance of the European integration process for the future of Montenegro, the statement said.
This May, Montenegro celebrates Europe Month in all municipalities, through a series of cultural, sporting, environmental and educational events that connect citizens with European values. The Biogradska Gora Vertical Race symbolically marked the beginning of this celebration, highlighting togetherness, commitment and perseverance as the foundations of Montenegro's successful European path, the statement concluded.
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