Montenegro's membership cannot disrupt anything when it comes to the EU, but can only be a good guide for the other countries of the Western Balkans, said the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić at a meeting with the President of the National Council of Austria, Wolfgang Sobotka, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Mandić, as stated in the statement of the Parliament of Montenegro, announced that the relations between Montenegro and Austria are traditionally good and that we are bound by a great common history.
Mandić pointed out that, according to his assessment, the atmosphere in the European Union, but also in Montenegro itself, when it comes to the enlargement process, has never been better.
According to reports, Mandić informed Sobotka about the achievements of the Assembly, adding that elections to key positions in the judiciary are the foundation of a new fight against organized crime and corruption.
"Mandić pointed out that this fight is in full swing, and that we have achieved significant results on our European path, and that he has no doubts that our country will receive a positive IBAR in June," the announcement reads.
Sobotka agreed that Montenegro and Austria have extremely close relations, especially between the two parliaments.
"Sobotka agreed with President Mandić that Montenegro can be a strong guide to all the countries of the Western Balkans and in that context reiterated Austria's full support for our country's European path," added the Assembly.
To Sobotka's question about Montenegro's relations with its neighbors, emphasizing Serbia in particular, Mandić announced that the parliamentary majority in Montenegro consists of representatives of all the peoples living in our country, i.e. that the parliamentary majority also includes representatives of the Serbian and Albanian people, while the coalition agreement defined that in conducting politics, everyone refrains from issues that divide them.
Mandić added that therefore it is to be expected that the Government should lead a policy of good neighborly relations and not support one side to the detriment of the other.
"Mandić repeated the position that he communicated to the other participants of the Conference with whom he met - that he personally advocates the termination of a negative practice that has existed since the independence of Montenegro - i.e. that all previous Governments at international addresses always voted against Serbia, with which we have historical and fraternal relations and the greatest economic cooperation, and this has almost never been to the benefit of the citizens and the state of Montenegro," it added.
Mandić emphasized that it is precisely because of breaking with this negative practice that they support this Government, when it was formed, it was defined that it would not work to the detriment of others, but exclusively in the interest of the citizens and the country.
"Sobotka expressed full understanding for this approach of President Mandić, which guarantees stability to Montenegro, emphasizing that Serbia is an extremely important country for the European community, and adding that the policy of reconciliation that President Mandić leads is extremely wise and that he hopes others will adopt it as well politicians in the Western Balkans," they concluded in the statement.
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