A group of 12 Montenegrin MPs, from all parliamentary groups, signed a Declaration of Commitment to Regional Cooperation in the Field of Youth, Intercultural Dialogue and Reconciliation, which, as announced by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, obliges them to more intensive cooperation with young people.
It is stated that Montenegrin MPs have committed to establishing a regular dialogue with young people and organizations that work with them in the country, in order to support them as actors in building a sustainable, inclusive, peaceful and democratic society, but also to ensure that the needs of young people are adequately represented in decision-making processes, especially within the work of Parliament.
The OSCE Mission said that the Declaration was signed during the Conference on Youth, Peace and Security entitled "Regional Cooperation and Youth Participation in the Reconciliation Process", organized by the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.
Minister of Sports and Youth Dragoslav Šćekić said that the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda is not a document for international conferences.
"If we take it seriously, it is a very practical framework that says: include young people in decision-making processes. Listen to them before you make decisions. Give them space in institutions, not just on social networks. Not as decoration, but as equal partners," Šćekić pointed out.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović stated that the Declaration is a clear signal that the Montenegrin legislative chamber is fundamentally interested in creating policies in line with their needs and expectations through dialogue and work with young people.
"The issue of youth inclusion is not just the responsibility of one department, but of the entire system, which is why closer cooperation is necessary among all stakeholders in society," said Ibrahimović, emphasizing the importance of continuing synergistic action with international partners such as RYCO and the OSCE.
Head of Mission Jan Haukas stated that they are using today's opportunity to reaffirm their unwavering support for young people and emphasize the basic principle - "nothing about young people should be decided without them."
He emphasized that turning this principle into practice requires more than political declarations – inclusive platforms, consistent engagement, and cross-border partnerships.
“Only through close cooperation between young people, government representatives, educators and practitioners can we ensure that young people are not consulted only after a decision has been made, but are truly empowered to be part of the decision-making process,” said Haukas.
The Head of the RYCO local office in Montenegro, Edin Koljenović, emphasized that this is a very important moment – not only because the highest legislative body formally supports the Youth Agenda for Peace and Security, but because the text of the Declaration was shaped directly by young people across Montenegro.
"This declaration was created as a product of consultations organized with more than 150 young people in Montenegro. Their voices, suggestions and expectations were translated into a document that today receives institutional confirmation," said Koljenović.
One of the panelists at the conference was the OSCE Chairman-in-Office's Special Representative for Youth, Peace and Security, Santeri Leinonen.
The statement states that at the end of last year, the RYCO local office and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro launched a dialogue on youth participation in decision-making processes, cross-border youth exchange programs, and the implementation of the Youth Agenda for Peace and Security in Montenegro.
"This resulted in a Declaration signed today by 12 MPs, dedicated to youth issues and which will serve as a sustainable mechanism for continued communication between the Parliament and youth, promoting the values of dialogue, regional cooperation and reconciliation," the statement said.
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