Djukanovic: Montenegro to Join NATO Within Several Months

By
InSerbia with agencies -
Oct 17, 2016


BELGRADE – Montenegro will join NATO within several months, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said after parliamentary elections held on Sunday.

He also vowed to accelerate negotiations on the country’s joining the European Union.

“Today we are glad to say that Montenegro would continue to follow the path of the certain European future, that within just several months we will ratify a protocol on Montenegro’s joining NATO and decide on the Montenegro’s NATO membership,” Dukanovic told his supporters late Sunday.

At the same time Montenegro’s opposition parties that are expected to enter the country’s parliament after Sunday elections said that they wanted to form a coalition to oust the government headed by Dukanovic from power.

The Montenegro’s opposition criticizes DPS plans to decide on the country’s joining NATO by parliament’s voting and demands to hold a nationwide referendum on the issue. According to preliminary results of the elections, PDS gained 36 of 81 seats in the parliament while the Democratic Front that comes second — with only 18 seats.

However, four opposition parties and coalitions (the Democratic Front, the Key Coalition, the Social Democratic Party and the Democrats) reportedly got 41 seats taken together, which gives them a chance to form a government.