Montenegro officially became a member of NATO
WASHINGTON, 5 Jan — RIA Novosti. The Minister of foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Serjan Darmanovic handed over at a ceremony at the US state Department document on the country’s accession to NATO, Deputy Secretary of state Thomas Shannon. From this moment, Montenegro officially became a member of the Alliance.
“The accession of Montenegro is evidence that NATO’s door remains open to those countries that want to reform, is necessary in order to meet the high standards of the Alliance, and agree to all membership-related risks, obligations and benefits,” said Shannon.
PM Duško Marković at @StateDept: Today we have become part of the most powerful and most successful alliance in history. #NATO #Montenegro pic.twitter.com/mBAGH7TVJe
— Govt. of Montenegro (@MeGovernment) 5 Jun 2017
According to the Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg, who was present at the ceremony, the accession of Montenegro to NATO “good for her” and for stability in the Western Balkans.
According to the North Atlantic (Washington) Treaty, the country’s accession to the Alliance occurs with the transfer of custody of the US government document of accession to the Treaty.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović deposited instrument of ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty pic.twitter.com/f0MtK7oijg
— Govt. of Montenegro (@MeGovernment) 5 Jun 2017
Two days later, on 7 June, the flags of Montenegro be raised to the headquarters of NATO in Brussels, the Supreme headquarters allied powers Europe in the Belgian city of Mons and of the NATO Strategic command for transformation in Norfolk (Virginia) in the USA.
The ceremony for the deposit of ratification instruments of the North Atlantic Treaty has began @StateDept #NATO #Montenegro pic.twitter.com/GPgC9Ls8mF
— Govt. of Montenegro (@MeGovernment) 5 Jun 2017
The decision to invite Montenegro to NATO was made in December 2015. In may this year the foreign Ministers of member countries of the Alliance have signed a Protocol on accession to the organization. Later, the Montenegrin Prime Minister as an observer for the first time participated in the NATO summit in Brussels.
StateDept : .NATO’s Secretary General welcomes jensstoltenberg #Montenegro to the #NATO Alliance. pic.twitter.com/tp1r3rpsJB
— Rex Tillerson (@Secy_State_US) 5 Jun 2017
According to Western media, accession of Montenegro will complete the establishment of the Alliance’s control over the Adriatic sea, as other coastal countries — Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Albania are already in NATO. The defence expenditure of Montenegro is much smaller than any of the allies.
The opposition led by the movement Democratic front does not recognize adopted out of a national referendum on accession of Montenegro to NATO and warns of the impending loss of the Republic, its foreign policy independence, and also the deterioration of the traditional friendly relations with Moscow and Belgrade.