The pace of Montenegro’s NATO Accession Protocol ratification in the member states exceeded the expectations of the government of Montenegro, said prime minister Dusko Markovic during his first PM question time in the Parliament.
His statement came after the US Senate had ratified the protocol on Tuesday night. The protocol needs also to be approved by US president Donald Trump and the Spanish Senate (upper house) needs to confirm the decision of the Congress of Deputies (the lower house). Then the Parliament of Montenegro will vote on it.
“When it comes to the US ratification, we had no doubts whether our strategic partner and ally will support the cause. These dilemmas were artificially created. We were not nervous about that. Ratification will be completed by the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Brussels scheduled for May. The secretary general of the alliance Jens Stoltenberg also supports that. That will be the biggest Montenegro’s success since its independence restoration. Our institutions and activities of our diplomatic and consular network are responsible for the success, as well as our allies and partners,” he pointed out.
Now, he said, we need to wait for US president Donald Trump’s signature.
“I would not want to speculate with the deadlines, we are completely indifferent. What is certain is that Montenegro will participate in the summit in Brussels in May as a full NATO member,” said Markovic.
He said that Montenegro was ready to make that decision in its parliament.
“We are ready and we wait for the appropriate moment. There are no legal restrictions, we can do that after the completion of ratification in all NATO member states, but we can also do that before – so we will decide in the coming days when the government will send the draft law on the protocol ratification to the Montenegrin parliament,” explained Markovic.
Vujica Lazovic (SD) asked “if there is anyone in the world” who supports the opposition boycott of the Parliament, Markovic replied:
“Not only that they do not understand, but they do not support such behavior at all… This is not only a question of boycotting the authorities, the government or the majority. This is a boycott of their voters and disrespect towards the institutions and the country where they were born,” he said.
However, SDP MPs are expected to temporary join the Parliament – during the vote on NATO membership.
“We have a clear position and the announcement of SDP that they will participate in the discussion. I have no information for other political subjects, but I think that no party other than SDP will participate in the debate on this issue,” he told reporters after his first PM question time in the Parliament.
