Prime Minister’s Address Commemorating May 21st
Esteemed guests,
I am truly privileged to address you this evening on behalf of the Government of Montenegro and in my own capacity, as we gather to commemorate a pivotal milestone in Montenegro’s recent history—May 21st, our Independence Day.
This event is especially significant as we honor the outstanding individuals among us—those who, in the 19 years since our independence was restored, have earned national accolades for their scientific contributions and achievements. I’m delighted that many of them are present tonight, allowing us the opportunity to become acquainted with their groundbreaking inventions and innovative ideas—as we usher in a new era, and that future is upon us!
This motto encapsulates the vision of the Government I represent—a vision where Montenegro no longer remains passive. We are fortifying Montenegro by enhancing our institutions, infrastructure, education, and forming alliances with powerful global partners, while creating fresh opportunities for every young person beneath our shared sky.
No ambition is unattainable when pursued by a free, educated, and dignified citizen.
We stand upon the foundation of a millennium-long statehood, a historical continuity that is an integral part of European cultural heritage and historiography. We have shared the journeys of the peoples and nations of our continent, and all that modern Montenegro embodies is a reflection of Europe in miniature. Our inherited values of multiethnicity, multiculturalism, and multiconfessionalism, preserved through tumultuous changes, affirm where we truly belong, and these values are now fully embodied by the executive authority.
Next year, we will celebrate twenty years since the restoration of independence. I firmly believe it is our generation’s responsibility to guide Montenegro—on this significant anniversary—where it has always rightfully belonged: into the European Union. The upcoming two years will serve as the ultimate test of our society’s maturity and our readiness to collectively realize this generational aspiration that is within reach. Proud of the depth, complexity, and richness we have sustained amidst the ongoing challenges of the Balkans, we approach the final stages of the accession process with dignity and enthusiasm.
Our aim is for Montenegro to meet all negotiation criteria by the end of next year and to become a full EU member by 2028. Such an ambitious target requires the engagement of society as a whole, the setting aside of differences, and demands a more effective administration and constructive political leadership.
Permit me a brief diversion. I want to draw your attention to the names etched on the walls surrounding us—1,381 recipients of national awards for knowledge competitions since the restoration of independence in 2006. These names represent our best and brightest. Yet, one may ponder—have we, over these nearly two decades, truly enabled them to refine their knowledge and fulfill their utmost potential? I believe we would all arrive at a similar conclusion. And I am equally certain we would unanimously agree on one thing—this country simply cannot afford to lose another generation of its finest minds.
This is why the Government of Montenegro is committed to ensuring that the EU negotiation process serves not as a relentless bureaucratic struggle, but as a transformative journey aimed at elevating us to the esteemed standards of the European Union and beyond.
We aspire for education to lead this transformative process. For this reason, we have decided to allocate the majority of Growth Plan funding over the next two years toward the establishment of 12 new kindergartens, 11 elementary schools, and 2 new student dormitories—alongside numerous reforms that will radically enhance our education system.
We must recognize that without knowledge, progress is unattainable—at least not at the pace required to ensure that no generation in our nation persists in waiting for a promised better future, but instead lives it as they rightfully should.
Thus, I invite you to give a resounding round of applause this evening for Itana, Pavle, Antonija, and all the brilliant young individuals, innovators, and scientists present here, as well as those who are not, for they embody the future that begins here and now.
Dear citizens,
We are commemorating 19 years since the restoration of independence, during which Montenegro has established its place internationally as a NATO member and a candidate for EU membership. Simultaneously, we have observed social divisions fueled by party and personal interests. I believe this experience has taught us the significance of relying on our own strengths—recognizing that we have no truer friends than ourselves, rooted within our community and national interests, within our own potential.
Let us concentrate on our genuine needs, challenges, and goals. Let knowledge and competence, integrity and professionalism, initiative and leadership serve as our authentic instruments for preserving dignity and independence in the future.
What matters most at this juncture is to expedite legislative reforms. The accession process of a state is not undertaken solely by the Government, Parliament, or any single societal segment—but is a collective duty to our ancestors and descendants. Therefore, tonight, I urge all of you to rise above division and keep in focus the expectations of the vast majority of our citizens—because ultimately, it is they to whom we are accountable, and for their sake, we must labor indefatigably.
I trust that each of us, and the system as a whole, will demonstrate our capability—at this pivotal historical juncture—to select, despite our differences, the clear common interest, the public good, and a long-term, radiant future: membership in the European Union and an improved standard of living for our citizens.
Honored friends,
This nation has demonstrated time and again, throughout its history, how to defend its right to autonomy.
As we celebrate our May 21st for the 19th time, we are presented with the opportunity not only to defend—but to claim our future. A future in which no one must leave Montenegro to find success, but stays—because this is a country where knowledge surpasses any privilege.
Let this anniversary, therefore, serve as more than just a festivity. Let it be a celebration of knowledge and excellence, a reminder that we possess an opportunity we must seize, a country we must cherish through our actions, and a future that must not be awaited as a miracle—but forged through our own deeds.
And in that spirit—in the name of a glorious past and an even brighter tomorrow—Happy Independence Day!
May Montenegro endure forever!
