Podgorica Club will be dedicated to the establishment of positive relations among WB countries as well as to the affirmation of European values, said the former President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović. He pointed out that the Club wouldn’t be dealing with the history, but it would rather be focused on the prosperity of the region.
At the press conference held on the occasion of the formation of Podgorica Club, Vujanović said that the association would promote the vision of the “New narrative for Western Balkans”.
“We want to offer a new story, free of history, but focused on the present and the future only. We’ll strive to create a positive environment where the internal relations of the region will be solved in a quality manner”, said Vujanović.
Today, founders of Podgorica Club will meet the President and the Prime minister of Montenegro.
“We’ll tend to hold conversations with presidents of states and the Governments at every address, as well as with presidents of chambers of commerce and academies”, said Vujanović.
The composition of states within the Club was defined by the Strategy for relations between the EU and Western Balkans by 2025, which determines those states as partners.
“Croatia and Slovenia already are EU Member States and we expect that, through the cooperation with these two countries, we should build a cooperation bridge with the EU and that they could be the drive of our actions. We are going to affirm European values, that’s what connects us and that’s what we all advocate for”, said Vujanović.
Former Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Lagumdžija, said that the Club would provide a platform for a regional dialogue, through conversations with political leaders, academic community and NGO sector.
“We’ll do our best to create an ambiance where the future of the EU and future of WB is considered as a two-way street, in which if one fails-the other fails too. We want to offer the widest possible platform for the dialogue in the region in order to reach the joint vision and integrate the region in to the EU”, said Lagumdžija.
Former President of the Government of Croatia, Jadranka Kosor, said the formation of the Club meant building bridges towards the EU. Only the real, open European way is the guarantee of durable peace and prosperity for all states.
