Congratulating Montenegro on 10 Years of Independence and Supporting Montenegro's Nato Membership

Floor Speech

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Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, 10 years ago this month, voters in Montenegro went to the polls to determine the future of their country. These voters were faced with a single question: ``Do you want the Republic of Montenegro to be an independent state with full international and legal subjectivity?'' When the dust settled on the evening of May 21, 2006, the referendum passed with 55.5 percent of voters choosing to peacefully dissolve their union with Serbia. Shortly thereafter, the international community recognized the newest country in the world. In a region riddled with bullets and bombs, this moment marked the beginning of a praiseworthy chapter in regional and transatlantic history.

As a number of global security challenges occupy the top of our foreign policy agenda--not least the threat posed by ISIS and the most significant refugee crisis since World War II--it is easy to overlook Montenegro's tenth anniversary. But we would be remiss if we did not use this occasion to reflect on the importance of U.S.-Montenegro relations and the role this country of 600,000 can play to advance regional and transatlantic security moving forward.

Early on, the country's leaders made a clear decision to align with the United States and pursue membership in Euro-Atlantic institutions. Montenegrin troops sacrificed their lives supporting the U.S.- and NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Montenegro has demonstrated its commitment to deterring Russian aggression by voluntarily joining the EU sanctions regime against Russia and rebuffing Moscow's offers for military cooperation. And since the beginning, the United States has been there supporting Montenegro's progress, with direct assistance to help the country fight organized crime and corruption, strengthen its civil society and democratic structures, and provide stability in the still-fragile Balkans region.

In October 2014, I had the privilege to visit Montenegro as then- chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs. I met with our Ambassador and Montenegrin Government officials and opposition leaders to discuss the challenges of the region and the country's progress. I also sat down with U.S. investors to hear why Montenegro is currently an attractive country for foreign investment.

Above all else, I came away from this visit convinced that Montenegro should be granted NATO membership. The opportunity to join the world's foremost military alliance has been a powerful incentive for reform. Montenegro has come a long way, but if the prospect of joining NATO is no longer on the table, we can expect to see an erosion of Montenegro's commitment to democratic governance and arguments that Montenegro is better served by an alliance with Russia.

Last week, NATO Foreign Ministers gathered in Brussels to sign Montenegro's Accession Protocol, paving the way to Montenegro's formal membership. Each member country must now ratify the agreement. This important decision will help counter Russian aggression in the region, eliminate a strategic NATO gap along the Mediterranean, and ensure that Montenegro's young democracy continues to develop under the alliance's umbrella.

At the same time, no country should receive an invitation until it is prepared to meet the highest standards of NATO membership. Montenegro has taken significant steps to address concerns that have delayed membership in the past. The government has strengthened the rule of law, undertaken intelligence sector and defense reforms, and increased public support for NATO membership in recent years. Notably, the Montenegrin Parliament passed legislation in November 2014 to reform the judicial sector, including the establishment of a special prosecutor's office for organized crime and an anti-corruption agency. This legislation is now being implemented, with the special prosecutor's office carrying out a high-profile arrest of former President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic on corruption charges in December 2015. We need to see continued high profile arrests to prove the rule of law will be fully respected, but this is an important signal.

Montenegro's democracy is young, but it is on the right track. There is no doubt Montenegro needs to continue making progress to uphold the rule of law, fight organized crime, tackle corruption, and foster a free and independent media environment. I believe American engagement will be critical helping Montenegro achieve these goals. On the tenth anniversary of Montenegro's historic independence, I will continue to push for a strong transatlantic partnership between our countries.

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