Igor Lukšić

Podgorica "expects NATO invitation" by end of year

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic has said that his country was steadily moving toward the EU and NATO.

According to him, Montenegro will be invited to join the western military alliance "by the end of the year."

The Montenegrin parliament on Tuesday adopted a controversial new law on the National Security Agency, NSA, by which intelligence officers can access all databases in Montenegro only by showing official identification cards.

Montenegro "must do everything to be invited to NATO"

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic has said that his country "must not miss the chance to receive an invitation to join NATO next year."

In his New Year's address on Wednesday, he said Montenegro in 2014 proved to be a reliable partner to the European Union and NATO.

At this year's public cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said he expected economic growth of about 2 per cent in 2015, which is lower than was planned but higher compared to the region, the eurozone and the EU in general.

In a brief press statement, the head of Montenegro's secret service, Boro Vucinic, said he had submitted his resignation after discussion with Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.

The formal reasons for his resignation were not disclosed. Media reports in Podgorica suggested that the government was not satisfied with his performance in reforming the agency.

Montenegro pride parade is a step toward human rights

Fostering human rights is one of the key requirements for candidate countries to join the EU.

EU officials and experts praised the recent gay pride parade in Montenegro as a positive step toward boosting human rights in the country.

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BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic will pay an official visit to Montenegro on Monday to meet with that country's top officials.

Gojkovic will confer with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic

She will also meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Luksic.

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic will pay an official visit to Montenegro on Monday.

Gojkovic will confer with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.

If a referendum was held immediately on whether Montenegrins was to join NATO, the outcome would be uncertain, a survey released on Tuesday suggested.

The survey, conducted last month by the local watchdog CEDEM, sampling the views of 1,025 people, suggested that 20 per cent remained undecided on the issue.

Talks on government personnel changes could be completed in the second half of October , BIRN has learned from a source in the Montenegrin government, ending in a vote on the government's reconstruction in parliament.