Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe,  General Sir James Everard speaks at the Montenegro flag raising ceremony June 7,  2017. NATO Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stefan Hass,  DEUA

MONS, Belgium - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) has another flag flying in front of its headquarters, as military personnel raised the flag of Montenegro on Wednesday, Jun. 7, 2017, at exactly 15:05.

Montenegro is NATO's newest and 29th member after depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC on Monday, Jun. 5.  The ceremony was attended by Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro Srdan Darmanovic. 

"Montenegro is ready to respond to the obligations arising from membership in the alliance and thereby contribute to peace and stability around the world," said Lieutenant-Colonel Krunoslav Skupnjak, the new Montenegrin National Military Representative (NMR) at SHAPE.

"For 68-years we have remained loyal to our core value of Collective Defence - one for all and all for one. We congratulate you on becoming our newest Ally," said Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Sir James Everard.

Montenegro was invited in December 2015 to start accession talks to join the Alliance, and the Accession Protocol was signed by Allied foreign ministers on May 19, 2016.