Montenegro became a member of OSCE on 22 June 2006, that represented the first membership of independent Montenegro in an international organization. The President of Montenegrin Government Milo Đukanović signed on 1 September 2006 in Helsinki the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (the Helsinki Final Act). Thus, Montenegro formally completed the process of full participation in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

OSCE in Montenegro

OSCE Permanent Council reached a decision on upgrading the Office in Podgorica to the OSCE Mission to Montenegro (OSCE Mission to Montenegro) and assigned it with a new mandate. In addition, the Permanent Council assigned to the Mission the following tasks: a) promotion of  the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments as well as the co-operation with Montenegro in all three dimensions of the OSCE; b) facilitation of contacts, coordination of activities and promotion of the exchange of information  with the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE and its other institutions, (particularly with those in South-Eastern Europe), as well as cooperation with international organizations and institutions; c) establishment and maintainance of contacts with local authorities, universities, research institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as assistiance in arranging events with OSCE participation; d) performance of other tasks that are considered appropriate by the Chairman-in-Office or other OSCE institutions and agreed on between Montenegro and the OSCE.

Following the determenation of a new mandate, the next step included signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding between Montenegro and OSCE on establishing the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. The Government of Montenegro adopted the Memorandum text on its session held on 19 October 2006. The Memorandum was signed on 24 October 2006 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro and OSCE Secretary General.

The Ambassador Paraschiva Badescu, former Head of the OSCE Office in Podgorica was appointed the Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro on 12 September 2006.