Montenegrin PM vows support for Georgia’s EU integration at Silk Road Forum

Dritan Abazović, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, on Thursday pledged his Government's support for Georgia’s European Union integration at the ongoing Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, which he opened with his Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts and the Vice President of the Asian Development Bank. 

In his comments at the event, the official said his country had a “very clear foreign policy, a very clear goal to become the first new member of the EU”, and stressed Montenegro also supported the bloc’s enlargement while adding “states should decide for themselves which organisation or blocs they want to join, and not create problems for [aspirations] of other countries”. 

In today's globalised world, it is not important how big the country is, it is how big the idea is that we can promote and adopt”, he noted. 

Abazović also highlighted the importance of peace in ensuring progress and resolving conflicts through dialogue. 

Violence is not a weapon; killing people, destroying infrastructure, houses is not a weapon. The weapon is to use diplomacy, to sit together and find a solution, maybe it takes more time, but it has better results”, the official said. 

In this context, the PM praised the efforts of the Georgian Government to facilitate talks between the neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia for a “long-term peace” in the South Caucasus region.

The official said his country was similarly “trying to play the role of a bridge, to bring neighbours together, to bring people together and to see opportunities [of] how we can show more wisdom and ingenuity in the future to do good for the rest of Europe”. 

He further noted the approach was “unlikely” to change the past, but said “we can only change the future - the only thing we can do, and it is our responsibility [...]. The official also called for promotion of “more peace, more stability, more good projects, more infrastructure” and of “bring[ing] people closer together”.