After the stabilization of the crisis caused by the coronavirus, it is necessary to speed up the dynamics of the expansion of the European Union (EU), said the president of the Bosniak Party, Rafet Husović, adding that he is convinced that the EU recognizes the maturity that Montenegro has shown in the crisis.
Presidents of political parties that are members of the European People's Party (EPP) and heads of government and state of the countries of the region participated in a video conference on the Western Balkans, organized by EPP President Donald Tusk, and Husović represented BS, which is the only party from Montenegro that is a member EPP.
Husović thanked the EU for supporting Montenegro in the most difficult moments of the fight against the coronavirus, stressing that European solidarity was shown in action.
"Already in mid-March, when the crisis was taking its toll, the EU aid of three million euros, intended for the health system in the fight against the coronavirus, was more than valuable," Husović said.
As he stated, the Government of Montenegro is already working on defining a model for additional 50 million EU aid to overcome long-term socio-economic problems caused by the crisis.
Husović said that he is convinced that the EU recognizes the maturity that Montenegro has shown, engaging all its capacities in the age of a difficult and in many respects unknown challenge.
"Our health workers, but also the army, police, communal services, social workers and the entire administration were up to the task and today we can already say that we have brought the crisis under control," Husović said.
He emphasized several good news from the region when it comes to the Euro-Atlantic perspective of the Western Balkans, which happened in the last two months.
"North Macedonia's accession to NATO means additional stability and security in our region." "This country has joined negotiations with the EU, which is also a positive signal and I would say that the EU's mistake from October last year has been corrected," said Husović.
As he added, Albania also received the green light to start accession negotiations with the EU.
"All this makes us happy in Montenegro, giving us the conviction that our foreign policy course all these years was correct," said Husović.
He said that he is convinced that after the stabilization of the health situation in the region and the EU, positive dynamics of the expansion of the European family of nations will be witnessed, estimating that Montenegro will soon become the next member of the EU.
Husović said that BS, as a member of the ruling coalition, gives full support to reform processes, actively participating in their implementation.
Tusk said that the priority is the joint fight against the virus, with a strong spirit of solidarity, stressing the importance of truthful information during the crisis.
The Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, said that the country's presidency of the Council of the EU, despite the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, will be marked by efforts to ensure that the EU enlargement policy remains one of the priorities.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized that the EU is not complete without the countries of the Western Balkans and that the Union has sent a strong aid package that will mitigate the economic consequences caused by the emergence of the coronavirus.
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