Montenegrin defence minister stands by NATO deployment

06/09/2010

It is not morally just to enjoy the protection of NATO, and not contribute to its global security forces, says Defence Minister Boro Vucinic.

By Nedjeljko Rudovic for Southeast European Times in Podgorica – 06/09/10

A contingent of soliders from Montenegro went to Afghanistan with NATO in March. [AFP]

Thirty-one soldiers from Montenegro were deployed late last month to relieve the country's current NATO-led contingent serving in Afghanistan. The original Montenegrin contingent was dispatched in March.

"These brave people firmly decided to spend the next six months in Afghanistan," Montenegrin Defence Minister Boro Vucinic said at the departure ceremony on August 20th. "They are going to help keep global peace at the most critical place on the planet."

But the move has sparked criticism from opposition parties that say it is an unnecessary risk.

They argue that the ministry is trying to "pay" for its accession to the Alliance's Membership Action Plan (MAP), which is the final step before entry into NATO. The country accepted the MAP invitation in December 2009.

According to Vucinic, however, such accusations are unfounded.

"Aware that it is not responsible, even morally, just to enjoy the protection of the system, we thought that we should contribute, so we decided that as a responsible partner of NATO and the international community, we needed to participate in the ISAF mission, in our realistic capabilities," Vucinic told SETimes in an interview.

Asked what will change after Montenegro becomes part of the Alliance -- whether the army, which has about 2,300 members, will have to change its standards and how that might be funded -- Vucinic said much has already been done in terms of training, equipment and procedures.

"The adjustment process will be successfully completed. In terms of expenditures, Montenegro committed to [set aside] about 2% of GDP for defence, which is standard for NATO member states. In the years of crisis, we were forced to reduce that expense, but we will strive to approach this standard in the future," Vucinic said.

However, he did not want to predict when Montenegro will become a member.

"It depends on the fulfillment of tasks in the MAP and the political assessment of the NATO countries. The experiences are different, but what's important is that Montenegro is already recognised as a reliable partner in the Euro-Atlantic structures. I believe we are, as always, rapidly moving towards full membership. It is our responsibility to meet [the] obligations, and our partners' [responsibility] to decide when we are ready to join NATO," he said.

In order to reach the goal of Alliance accession, the government must win a battle on the homefront. Surveys suggest that only around 40% of the public support NATO membership.

"Most countries in the region had a similar ratio of citizens in this phase of the association," Vucinic said. "I am convinced that the opinion will change, as in other countries, as they become more interested and informed about the benefits of membership."

NATO means peace in the Balkans, he insists.

"Many still can't see what really happened in the 1990s, or the current regional circumstances. I believe that we are obliged to choose the best way to secure our future, and this is undoubtedly membership in NATO and the EU," he said.

Vucinic hopes that there will be no new conflicts, but warns that open-ended questions, such as relations between Serbia and Kosovo and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, should be carefully monitored by the international community.

"The integration of the region will affect its stability. Unfortunately, the Western Balkans are not yet self-regulatory mechanisms of control, so that raises the issue of integration as a condition of safety, and it is closely linked," he said.