Celebrating 20 Years of Montenegro's Independence

That the Parliament congratulates Montenegro on the 20th anniversary of the restoration of its independence following the referendum of 21 May 2006, in which 55.5% of voters chose a sovereign future for their country; recognises the significant social, economic and democratic progress made by Montenegro over the past two decades; notes that Montenegro became a member of NATO in 2017 and is the leading candidate for future European Union enlargement, with the objective of becoming the 28th member state by 2028; considers that Montenegro has demonstrated the benefits of democratic reform and political stability; recognises the substantial economic and institutional progress achieved since independence, including sustained growth in the tourism and services sectors, significant foreign direct investment, the adoption of the euro as a stable currency and the development of a modern and competitive economy; understands that Montenegro has made notable progress in strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and European integration, while achieving significantly higher average wages and GDP per capita than Serbia, from which it gained independence; acknowledges that Montenegro has maintained close cultural ties with Serbia while pursuing its own path as an independent state; believes that Montenegro's achievements since independence represents a notable success story in the Western Balkans, and wishes the people of Montenegro every success as they mark this important anniversary and continue their journey towards full membership of the European Union.