His Excellency Milan BEGOVIC was appointed as ambassador to Romania on the end of 2013. He is the first ambassador of Montenegro to Romania after Montenegro reestablished its independence on May 2006.

Short History of Montenegro

Traces of human presence in Montenegro go back to the distant Paleolithic times, found in several caves in the central and coastal area. The first known ethnic groups were Illyrian tribes in 5^th-2^nd century BC.

After this period, the newly formed province of Prevalis became a part of the Roman Empire. After the decline of the great Empire, the region was conquered by the Byzantine rulers that faced an invasion of Christian Slavic tribes in the 6^th century.

The origins of the first state started the 9^th century under the name of Doclea. Doclea changed its name into Zeta in 11^th century and it became the first independent kingdom on the today’s Montenegrin territory, recognized by the Pope.

By the end of 12^th century, Zeta was conquered by the Serbian dynasty Nemanjic who spread out Orthodox religion in the country.

In the 14^th century, Zeta restored its sovereignty and was ruled by Montenegrin noble families from 15^th century. With the arrival of the Ottoman invaders, century long battles followed and a new dynasty came to the throne Petrovic family.

Secular and spiritual rules were the longest present on the Montenegrin historical scene almost two centuries. The country became internationally recognized for the first time at Berlin congress in 1878 and proclaimed kingdom in 1910.

After the two World Wars, Montenegro was adopted to the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and then to the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. After the stormy 90’s, the dissolution of Yugoslavia, conflicts in the region, embargo and economical disaster, Montenegro votes its independence in 2006 and restore its independence after 88 years.

Vasile SIMILEANU: Your Excellency, will you be so kind to give us some main and most important facts about Montenegro today?

Milan BEGOVIC: This year Montenegro is marking and celebrating tenth anniversary since the reestablishment of its independence as well as thousand years of its statehood. As a modern national independent state, Montenegro was internationally recognized back in 1878 at The Berlin Congress.

On May 21^st 2006, the citizens of Montenegro at the democratic referendum voted and decided that Montenegro became independent state, for the second time in its history. This decision did not represent an act of secession from anybody. The people of Montenegro decided by the only possible civilized manner, through referendum, to take full responsibility for its own destiny and overall political, economic, social and cultural development.

International community strongly supported such development. Not a long time after promulgations of the independence, overall international community had recognized referendum’s results and established diplomatic relations with Montenegro. Montenegro became full member of all global international organizations, including UN, and organizations from its system, as well as regional initiatives, with more than 40 forms of cooperation.

We are proud of such development, and more than satisfied that international community has recognized Montenegro as responsible member of international community, ready to undertake and share responsibilities at international arena.

Foreign policy priorities of Montenegro are clear and well known… good relations with the neighbors, regional cooperation, and Euro-Atlantic integrations. Those priorities are being successfully implemented, accepted and confirmed by the people of Montenegro, including the strong support of its policy at the last parliamentary election on October 16^th 2016.

Montenegro directs its foreign policy activities on the basis of strategic state interests and the interests of its citizens. As I mentioned, our priorities are the integration into the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, then the improvement and maintenance of good neighborly relations and regional cooperation, and finally, further development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

V.S.: Will you be so kind to give us more explanations and concrete facts concerning Montenegro’s neighboring and regional relations?

Milan BEGOVIC: Despite the hard experience of conflicts during the 90’s in our region, Montenegro, in meantime, has established excellent and friendly relations with all its neighbors. Strong dialogue among us is present on a daily basis. Broken strings were restored and new forms of cooperation are established in all fields. We are proud of it. Peace and stability are most important for overall socio-economic development.

Thru the policy of good neighborly relations and regional cooperation, our country has committed to participate actively and equivalently in the work of various regional mechanisms. Montenegro is member of more than 30 regional organizations and initiatives, which cover broad area in Central and South-East Europe, as well as Mediterranean, Adriatic-Ionian and Black Sea Region. In the past decade, Montenegro successfully chaired more than 10 regional mechanisms in the half year and one year term, with the strong dedication to contribute, as a member and initiator of the regional processes, to overall peace, stability and prosperity of our countries.

We are fully committed to further straighten regional ties through project-oriented cooperation in the areas of joint interest, such as infrastructure – energy and transport, youth, job creation, migrations, on our way to the wider integration.

V.S.: Can you tell us something more about processes of European and NATO integrations?

Milan BEGOVIC: Montenegro is strongly involved in processes of Euro-Atlantic integrations what means membership in the EU and NATO.

Progress is more than visible in the field of European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, which is our permanent foreign policy priority. For more than 4 years, Montenegro has been negotiating accession to the EU. In the meantime, we opened 26 chapters of negotiating agenda, closing temporary two of them. Being focused equally on each chapter, we do understand that chapters concerning the rule of law are among the most important in this process. We are confident that in foreseeable future Montenegro will come into position to respond to all standards necessary to become a full member of EU. We have an ambitious goal that by the end of 2019, i.e. before the end of the term of this Government, which coincides with the end of the term of the current European Commission, we close all chapters, i.e. finalize the negotiation process. We are aware that the European Union is facing with many new crises and challenges today, which will probably require a transformation of its institutions and some policies, and that the community which we shall become a part of – will be different than today. However, it will not shake our firm determination to become a part of the community of nations and people who share common values of democracy, freedom and equality, and that together with them we build a stable and prosperous Europe tailored to its citizens’ needs.

In the same manner, Montenegro had entered and followed process of the NATO accession, which resulted with the NATO invitation to join the Alliance, last year, and with signing of accession protocol on May 19^th, 2016 in Brussels. Process of ratification of the Accession Protocol is in progress. More than twenty NATO members, including Romania, have already ratified it and we do hope that in nearest future Montenegro will become full member of NATO.

Memberships in NATO and EU is our strategic priority in the focus of not only the Government, but also almost the entire society. It is our political, security, economic and civilization determinant – and also a guideline for further development of the society to which we aspire. We can certainly be proud of the results in both of these processes which are reflected in the daily change of the way of life of our citizens.

We were not guiding ourselves by merely fulfilling the criteria because membership is only a destination, whereas the quality of the reforms implemented on this path is what we consider vitally important for our citizens. Throughout the integration process, we carried out numerous and important reforms – at the constitutional, sub-constitutional and institutional levels – especially in the area of judiciary and the fight against corruption and organized crime.

The full membership of our country in NATO in the interest of its people as well as peace and security of the region will provide our country and our citizens with the quality of security and stability that we have not had so far. It will also strengthen its position on the international scene in all areas. Montenegro will no longer be the object of other people’s interests, nor the challenging of its sovereignty, but an active factor in building peace and stability in the region and beyond.

V.S.: It will be interesting to have some facts about current status and future development of Montenegro in economy.

Milan BEGOVIC: The decision to undertake full responsibility for its development had the positive effect on Montenegrin economy and social development too. Being the least developed republic of ex Yugoslavia, nowadays Montenegro is among the leaders in the Western Balkans in many areas. Our GDP strongly increased last ten years, average 3% per year, as well as the living standard of the people. Montenegro is recognized by its partners as a good place for direct foreign investments, primarily in the fields of tourism, energy and infrastructure.

Those results are achieved at the time when our continent is facing a series of crises, instabilities and challenges, Montenegro undeniably represents a successful regional and European example. Bearing in mind the economic and financial crisis, the prolonged recession in many countries in the region and beyond, the instability caused by migration pressures and security threats on the fringes of the EU and NATO, and, finally, the increasing challenges faced by the idea of an united Europe.

V.S.: And finally, will you be so kind to tell us something about bilateral relations within our two countries and its perspectives?

Milan BEGOVIC: Romania recognized the independence of Montenegro among the first countries in the world, and sent its ambassador to Podgorica immediately after referendum, clearly pointed out its respect to the wish of the people of Montenegro to have its own state. Montenegro is having full political and technical support from Romania, from the very beginning. This is something that Montenegro highly appreciate and will always remember.

Bilateral relations of Montenegro and Romania are excellent with long tradition of mutual understanding and cooperation. We highly appreciate political and technical support that we are having from Romania, from the very beginning, especially in the area of Euro-Atlantic integration. There are huge possibilities for its further development, primarily in the field of economy, as well as culture and education.

At the end, I would like to point out than I enjoyed those three years being so far in Romania. I found a friendly atmosphere in the country with beautiful landscape and lot of capable people. I do believe that we are doing a good job in order to strengthen our mutual friendship and understanding and to open new possibilities for further development of overall bilateral relations and cooperation.

December 2016, Bucharest
Interview by Vasile SIMILEANU