Matic Kosirnik, President of YATA Slovenia, and Maša Omahen, Vice-President for International Affairs and Cooperation, attended the 16th 2BS (To Be Secure) Forum in Budva, Montenegro, on 23 October 2026. Organised by the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, the Forum addressed European and regional security, Euro-Atlantic cooperation and the resilience of democratic societies.
The Forum was titled “The Delivery Decade: Montenegro and the Western Balkans in Europe’s New Security Era” and brought together government officials, diplomats, representatives of international organisations, security experts and civil society. The programme focused on EU enlargement, NATO’s role in European security, hybrid threats, digital governance and public trust.
The panel “The Frontrunner Effect: Montenegro, EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans” examined Montenegro’s European integration and its implications for the wider region. Speakers included Peter Grk, Slovenia’s National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, Igor Lukšić, former Prime Minister of Montenegro, and Frano Matušić, State Secretary at Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
NATO and allied cooperation were discussed in “Holding the Anchor: NATO, Europe and the Price of Security”, with contributions from Aleksandar Goganović, Deputy Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federica Mangiameli of GLOBSEC, and Miloš Nikolić, Acting Director General for NATO and Security Policy at Montenegro’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Further discussions addressed digital transformation, communication and trust in public institutions.
Hybrid threats and societal resilience were also prominent themes. Sessions explored responses to hybrid pressure, the protection of electoral processes and information integrity, with contributions from Gordan Akrap, Alen Musaefendic and Eugene Slavnyi, among others. Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe, joined Sead Alihodzic of International IDEA and Laura Jasper of The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies for a discussion on elections and democratic resilience.
The Forum coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, marked by a ceremonial gala dinner. The anniversary provided an occasion to recognise the Council’s work in promoting Euro-Atlantic cooperation and public understanding of security issues.
Alongside the official programme, the visit provided opportunities for exchanges with the President of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, Savo Kentera, and colleagues from YATA Montenegro and the wider Euro-Atlantic community. YATA Slovenia’s participation continued its engagement with partner organisations and regional discussions on security, democratic resilience and Euro-Atlantic integration.
