U.S. Secretary of State Wishes People of Montenegro Happy Statehood Day

Antony Blinken (Al Drago/Pool via AP)

On the occasion of Montenegro Statehood Day, July 13, U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken said that “a tolerant and inclusive Montenegro which is firmly rooted in the Euro-Atlantic community will lead to a more prosperous and secure future for all citizens of Montenegro,” according to a press release published on the State Department’s website.

“This year, as we mark 15 years of robust bilateral relations and Montenegro’s fourth year as a NATO Ally, the United States stands with all those who are committed to pursuing the reforms needed to speed Montenegro’s EU accession,” Blinken wrote on behalf of the U.S.

At a reception held on the occasion of the Statehood Day in the evening on July 12, Montenegro’s President Milo Djukanovic said that there was no concern about the EU future of Montenegro, which, he said “long ago passed the crossroads at which it chose its EU path with no turns of return, although there are some people in and outside Montenegro who would wish so.”  

“Montenegro is a reliable neighbor, a respected NATO member and the leader in the EU accession talks. This is the time of new challenges for Montenegro which has found itself in the middle of very complex internal, regional and global processes. Despite all the challenges, I am assured that there are no concerns about Montenegro’s EU future,” Djukanovic stressed.