A long-term stability in the region can be achieved by integrating the Western Balkans into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, defence minister Predrag Boskovic said.
“It is important to keep a clear European perspective for the region, given that the stability of the Western Balkans is of crucial importance for the stability of the European Union as a whole,” Boskovic said on Wednesday at a meeting of defence and interior ministers in the framework of the initiative Central Europe Defence Cooperation (CEDC) and the Salzburg Forum.
As the Defence Ministry stated, the meeting brought together interior and defence ministers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Kosovo.
The aim of the meeting was to understand contemporary security challenges and analyse the current migrant crisis with a focus on the Western Balkans region.
“It was an opportunity for the representatives of CEDC and the Salzburg Forum member states to meet with counterparts from Southeast Europe in order to initiate the drafting of the Action Plan with agreed mechanisms that would be activated in case of new migration wave and sustainable closure of immigration routes in the Western Balkans and to define joint measures to fight illegal migration,” the statement said.
The ministers also discussed issues of possible establishment of centres to receive requests for asylum in countries that are not EU members and of the repatriation of illegal migrants.
“Boskovic said that migrant crisis wave that shook Europe did not hit Montenegro, but that Montenegro would follow EU policy and adjust its mechanisms to the situation,” the ministry stated.
He said that Montenegro was ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with European partners, as a reliable partner of the international community, and contribute to the preservation of peace and security, not only the region, but also beyond, in accordance with its capacities.
Boskovic also said that the regional and international exchange of information and intelligence was of great importance to provide an adequate response to the challenge such as the migrant crisis.
