The family of the Small States of Europe may well grow next week. Montenegro is waiting to be accepted in the family – which will be decided at the General Assembly of the GSSE scheduled to be held here next Monday, a few hours before the Opening Ceremony of the XIII Games. If Montenegro is accepted, this will mark the first enlargement of the Movement since its very beginning in 1985.

By definition, for their eligibility in the Games, the Small States of Europe are the countries of the continent with a population of less than one million.

Montenegro, which gained independence in 2006 when it broke away from the union with Serbia, has a population of 620,000 (2003 census) in an area of 13,812 square kilometres.

The Montenegrin Olympic Committee was founded in 2006 and was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee at its 119th Session in Guatemala City on 6 July 2007. The MOC had 59 members at its latest General Assembly, in November 2008.