International relations and parliamentary diplomacy focus of OSCE Mission to Montenegro workshops for Parliament

In co-operation with Parliament, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized two training modules for members of Parliament and parliamentary staff on parliamentary diplomacy, international relations and European integration, on 7 and 8 October and on 18 and 19 October 2021, in Podgorica.

During the first module, more than 20 parliamentary staff learned about trends and the development of parliamentary diplomacy, the role of parliament in international relations and the importance of participation in multilateral parliamentary bodies and forums.

The second module focused on the role, competencies and practice of the parliamentary Committee on European Integration, as well as parliamentary diplomacy in the context of co-operation with EU institutions and diplomatic missions in Brussels.

Ursula Gacek, a former member of the European Parliament and the Polish Senate, with over 30 years of professional experience in politics and diplomacy, conducted the workshops. She said that parliamentary diplomacy grows in importance as the role of traditional diplomacy declines. “The aim of these training sessions for Montenegrin MPs and staff of parliamentary committees is to increase the impact Parliament has on the international stage, but also to prepare it for new opportunities and challenges in the area of parliamentary diplomacy that will come with EU accession,” said Gacek.

The Mission will continue to support the work of parliamentary committees by providing expertise and sharing best international practices on how to improve specific areas of parliamentary work.