Montenegro will be Guarded by NATO and Greece Aircraft

Montenegrin Defense Minister Predrag Boskovic has confirmed that Italian and Greek fighters will take over the defense of Montenegro's airspace within NATO's Air Policing mission, reports Macedonian media NetPres quoted by Focus.

Boskovic specified that the agreement should be signed with the SMTPSA (Air Traffic Control Agency) of Serbia and Montenegro.

"First, we need to settle this agreement with SMATSA as an organization that has to provide the radar image for Montenegro, and I hope it will be very fast and it can be signed in the coming weeks," Boskovic said, noting that "SMATSA  has so far been responsible for managing all civilian and military airplanes through Montenegro's airspace. "

Boskovic added that only then, the co-ordination with Italy and Greece will follow the technical details and agreement.

Air policing is a peacetime mission whose purpose is to maintain the security of the airspace of the Member States and includes a permanent presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with fighter interceptors ready to react immediately if there is a disturbance of the airspace . The Allied Forces Command Europe (SACEUR) is responsible for the implementation of the mission.