Milatović to our athletes: You carried the flag of a small country, but you gave it a place among the greatest

You carried the flag of a small country, but you gave it a place among the greatest, and it was precisely the athletes who were among the most important faces of our country before the world - said the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, in Cetinje, where he hosted a reception for Montenegrin Olympians as part of the program marking 20 years since the restoration of Montenegro’s independence.

As stated by the Office of the President, in an atmosphere of open and emotional conversation, athletes from different generations gathered in the same place, from participants of the first Olympic Games in which Montenegro competed as an independent state in 2008 Summer Olympics, to young athletes whose time is yet to come.

Milatović emphasized that Montenegrin Olympians and Paralympians, over the past two decades, carried much more than a sports jersey - they carried the name, flag, and dignity of their country.

- Every time one of you stepped onto the Olympic field, regatta course, into the pool, or onto the track, the Montenegrin flag was there with you. And some of you carried it before the entire world - said Milatović.

Recalling that Cetinje is the place where Montenegrin statehood began, he stressed that the city symbolically connects the continuity of the state with generations of athletes who represented Montenegro on the world’s greatest stage.

The discussion included first Olympic experiences, the feeling of carrying the national flag, sacrifices, injuries, lonely training sessions, and the challenges faced by athletes from a small country competing against the world’s greatest sporting powers.

It was emphasized that behind every Olympic appearance stand years of discipline, silence, work, and sacrifice that the public often does not see.

- I heard what it cost to carry that flag. How many lonely training sessions, how many sacrifices, how many moments when you wondered whether it was worth it. And I heard that it was worth it. Not always through the result, but always through what you became - Milatović said.

A special moment was the symbolic handover of the Montenegrin flag to handball player Martina Knežević, the best young female athlete of the country, as a message of trust to new generations of athletes.

- This flag represents all generations of male and female athletes who, before you, made Montenegro recognized around the world. I hand it over to you with the belief that you will continue what they started. Carry it proudly - Milatović said.

Concluding the gathering, he said that over the past twenty years athletes have become one of the most beautiful symbols of independent Montenegro - a symbol of perseverance, unity, and the belief that even a small country can stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest when it has people who represent it honorably, courageously, and with dignity.

- The gathering was symbolically organized in the shape of a guvno, an ancient place of gathering and conversation in Montenegrin tradition, a place where the most important decisions were shared for generations, where unity was preserved and lasting values were passed on. It was precisely in such a circle, symbolizing equality, closeness, and belonging, that those who carried Montenegro’s name around the world over the past twenty years gathered, carrying its flag with pride, dignity, and a sense of responsibility toward their country - the Office of the President stated.