The two-day forum focusing on defence and security has pooled parliamentarians from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria. Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and the state union of Serbia-Montenegro as well as observers from the European Union, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the Council of Europe, the Geneva-based Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces, the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, UNMIK (UN Mission in Kosovo) and Great Britain, Norway, Poland.
Opening the event, Montenegrin Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic said that "Montenegro will be a factor of stability on the path towards European and EuroAtlantic integration, just as it has been over recent years".
Montenegro would like to accomplish its national and state interests through talks with everybody, but it will attach primary importance to interests of its citizens and state. The progress towards the European Union can be accelerated only through joint actions and cooperation, Krivokapic said. He also spoke of Montenegro's strategic interests to join NATO.
The forum will end on Tuesday with the adoption of a joint declaration as a framework for the future cooperation of parliamentary committees of countries in the region in the defence and security sectors.