"As a party, we are more than open to have best relations with Russia, as a partner state. We are also in process of accession into NATO and EU, and it is SDP’s strong position that Montenegro had to be the next EU and NATO member. Our government is having disputes with Russian leadership because it wasn't honest with them in last decade," Stanic said.
The spokesperson reiterated the party’s position to build good relations with all friendly countries, irrespective of their status of NATO or EU membership, while also maintaining Montenegro’s path towards European and Euro-Atlantic cooperation.
"Montenegro will be the next NATO member state, with full responsibility, as other member states. SDP had in our program NATO integration, and we are more than happy that this process was completed so fast. We were the country that had our ratification completed in only 18 months, with a record time for newcomers — from invitation on December 2, 2015 till now," the spokesperson added.
On April 6, President of the Parliament of Montenegro Ivan Brajovic said that he was considering convening a parliamentary session during April, during which a vote on the country's membership into NATO will be held. The opposition lawmakers, represented by 39 out of 81 seats in the country's parliament, have been boycotting the parliament's meetings since autumn and urging for a referendum on NATO membership.
Montenegro was invited to join NATO on December 2, 2015, in the alliance's first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. Podgorica accepted the invitation the following day, a motion which triggered protests in the Balkan nation. In May 2016, the Alliance members signed a protocol on Podgorica's accession to be ratified by all NATO member states before becoming a full-fledged member.
Russia has repeatedly criticized NATO’s plans for Montenegro, which it regards as an unwarranted expansion toward its western border which would be detrimental to stability in the Balkans and in Europe as a whole.
