Bix Aliu, the nominee for the upcoming American ambassador to Montenegro, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that if confirmed, he would work to expedite Montenegro’s integration process and strengthen the fight against malign foreign influences.
Aliu said he would be the first Albanian-American in history to serve as a United States ambassador if his appointment is approved by the Senate.
He said that the 2023 elections provided Montenegro with a historic opportunity to accelerate its path to integration into the European Union, but “we must also be clear about the risks posed by the ruling coalition and remain engaged, with practical solutions, to help Montenegro take its rightful place in the European Union.”
Listing his priorities if confirmed as ambassador to Podgorica, Aliu said, “Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine underscores the urgency for Montenegro to expedite fundamental reforms for EU accession, democratic development, stability, and progress.”
He said he would support an interagency effort “to promote the rule of law, fight entrenched corruption, and respect human rights, which will deliver tangible results for the citizens of Montenegro, all in line with the national security objectives of the United States.”
Aliu said one of his priorities would be deepening NATO-Montenegro ties, which became a NATO member seven years ago.
Another priority, he said, is strengthening Montenegro’s resistance to malign actors who want to harm its democracy and institutions.
“If confirmed, I will work with interagency partners and the European Union to combat disinformation, support civil society, and reinforce American messages on transatlantic values,” Aliu said, emphasizing that another priority would be supporting Montenegro’s economic progress through a revitalized US-Montenegro economic dialogue to strengthen the investment environment.
“It is essential for the United States and the EU to help ensure sustainable alternatives to investments from China, especially in critical infrastructure,” Aliu said, emphasizing that Montenegro is at a crossroads.
“The country needs efficient democratic institutions cemented within the Euro-Atlantic framework and committed to the welfare of all its citizens,” he added, stating that the United States is an ally of Montenegro in building a better future as part of NATO and the EU.
Who is Bix Aliu?
Bix Aliu is a career diplomat in the US Foreign Service. Before starting his assignment as Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Budapest, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Mission to Poland. Previously, he was the US Consul General in Krakow, Poland, and also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Podgorica.
During his diplomatic career, Aliu also served as a public affairs officer at the US Embassy in Tirana.
Aliu graduated in medicine from the University of Prishtina and also holds a degree from the US Army War College in Washington in social sciences. He speaks Albanian, Montenegrin, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, and Macedonian.
