Representatives of the municipalities of Plav and Gusinje, as well as students of the “Bećo Bašić” Secondary Mixed School, took part today in Plav in an educational programme dedicated to the European Union, Montenegro’s accession process and the opportunities that European integration brings to local communities and young people.
In the first part of the event, Biljana Papović, State Secretary at the Ministry of European Affairs, spoke with representatives of the two local governments about Montenegro’s accession process to the European Union, the obligations that lie ahead in the coming period, as well as the role of municipalities in applying European standards and making use of the opportunities brought by membership.
Papović stressed that European integration is not a process that takes place only at the national level, but that a large part of its results in practice can be seen precisely in local communities.
“It’s extremely important that local governments are well informed and empowered to make use of the opportunities provided by European integration. This process should translate into concrete benefits for citizens – through higher-quality services, better local policies, new development projects and more opportunities for young people,” Papović said.
Nihad Canović, President of the Municipality of Plav, said that European integration takes on its full meaning when its benefits become visible in the everyday lives of citizens and the development of local communities.
“For Plav, this means more opportunities for young people, better infrastructure, new facilities and stronger use of European funds for the development of tourism and the local economy. Plav, with its natural potential, multiculturalism and growing number of facilities, has an opportunity to become one of the recognised destinations for young people, not only in Montenegro but also in the region,” Canović said.
Kevin Mrkulić, Manager of the Municipality of Gusinje, highlighted the importance of programmes such as this one, which bring local government representatives closer not only to what awaits them after joining the European Union, but also to the concrete opportunities that will be available to municipalities through European funds, programmes and development projects.
“It is particularly important that we identify opportunities in a timely manner and be prepared to make use of available European programmes and funds through quality projects and strengthening administrative capacities,” Mrkulić added.
The second segment of the programme was dedicated to young people. The “EU in Your School” quiz was held at the “Bećo Bašić” Secondary Mixed School, preceded by a short lecture on the basic principles, values and functioning of the European Union.
Through an interactive format, students had the opportunity to test and expand their knowledge of the EU and Montenegro’s European integration process. Viktor Vukanić, Minela Hot and Belkisa Pupović achieved the best results in the quiz.
The programme was implemented as part of the “Empowering Municipalities for European Action 2026” initiative, carried out by the Ministry of European Affairs with the financial support of the European Union through the EU4ME project, in cooperation with the municipalities of Plav and Gusinje.