The EU Ambassador to Montenegro, Aivo Orav, said that Europe Day and the European Union were being celebrated as the most successful peace project in the world.

“Today, we celebrate the diversity that makes the European Union so rich. We celebrate peace and unity, democracy and prosperity. We celebrate our common values, our shared belief in democracy, freedom and human dignity, and the conviction that every individual is equal,” said Orav. “Unfortunately, we cannot celebrate fully, because a brutal attack on journalist Olivera Lakic took place last night. This attack is not in line with the values I just mentioned. Whoever did it, whatever the reasons for it, we that they are brought to justice as soon as possible,” Orav added

The attack on journalist Olivera Lakic was also condemned by the Minister of Culture, Aleksandar Bogdanovic, who joined the events in front of EU Info Centre.

In the evening hours the celebration moved to the main city square in Podgorica, where several thousand citizens enjoyed the concerts Zoster and Darko Rundek.

About Europe Day

Europe Day is celebrated every year on 9 May to honour the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, in which the then French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would ensure that war between Europe's nations would be unthinkable. His vision was to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production. A treaty creating such a body was signed just under a year later. Schuman's proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.