Simonović: With sport toward EU

President of Montenegrin Olympic Committee Dušan Simonović attended meting of EU Ministers for sport, EU National Olympic Presidents and and noc presidents of Western Balkan countries, held on 16. and 17. March in Slovenia, at Brdo by Kranj.

The aim of the ministerial meeting is, first and foremost, to ensure progress in the preparatory process of setting priorities for action in line with the White Paper on Sport and the “Pierre de Coubertin” Action Plan.

Participants accepted Joint Declaration on »Social Significance and Dialogue in Sport« signed by Mr. Patrick Hickey, president of EOC, Mr. Janez Kocijančič, president of Olympic Committee of Slovenia, Mr. Jan Figel, European Commissioner responsible for sport and Mr. Milan Zver, Minister of Education and Sport on behalf of the EU Presidency. Among others they wrote they agree that a dialogue between EU Ministers, the EU Commission and NOC Presidents is essential and that it should adress and consider the implications of the principles of autonomy and specifity of sport.

During this meeting other topics were also discussed. First of all, new ways of financing sport, democracy, ethics, and some unpleasant phenomenons such as violence, rasism and other.
Stay of the President of Montenegrin Olympic Committee in this meeting was very important, because it represents one more sign of Montenegrin approach toward European Union.

Simonović expressed his great satisfaction for being able to participate in this important meeting, fist of all due to rapid preparations of Montenegro to join European Union and clear mutual messages sent in this direction.
This was also good opportunity for meetings and exchange of oppinion with National Olympic Presidents from other countries. Once again was confirmed great friendship and readiness for cooperation between Olympic Committees of Slovenia and Montenegro, which is very important due to the fact that currently, Slovenia has presidency of the European Union.

Meeting Simonović – Karpov

As special guests on this meeting of Minsters for sport and presidents of National Olympic Committees from EU member countries and East Europe countries, were present Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of International Chess Federation and Anatoly Karpov, former chess world champion.

During his stay in Slovenia, among other bilateral meetings, the President of Montenegrin Olmypic Committee Dušan Simonović, met with the chess legend Anatoly Karpov. Karpov expressed great satisfaction because of this meeting, since he stayed in Montenegro more than thirty years ago. He stressed that he remembered time spent in Budva and Herceg Novi, as well as meetings with our chess players. Karpov and Simonović expressed mutual desire for this famous chess player to visit Montenegro, and it was agreed that this visit should be arranged very soon.