Varhelji: We are considering helping Montenegro with its debt to a Chinese bank

The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelji, said that the European Commission is monitoring developments related to the prosecutor's law in Montenegro.

"We are closely monitoring the reform of the prosecution service and I have already talked to the Prime Minister about it several times. We think that institutional changes, if they are really necessary, must be fully in line with the Constitution and must respect all the basic principles of the rule of law," Varhelji emphasized. who visited Montenegro on the occasion of the delivery of the first contingent of Pfizer-Bajontek vaccines.

He also said that they are considering helping Montenegro face the difficulties that arose as a result of the loan arrangement with the Chinese Exim Bank for the highway, which is a major financial obstacle for Montenegro.

"Of course, it's not up to us to consider the financial situation in the country. The government asked us for help and that's exactly what we're doing. But it's not up to us to pay loans instead of others. And I don't think that's what the government is asking us to do, but to consider the possibility of refinancing , that is, other financial modalities. I can't tell you yet whether we can do it or not, we are considering it. We are considering different options and we are in communication with the Government," said Varhelji.

Varhelji said that the EC is counting on this Government to produce results in terms of the reforms undertaken, because this country missed and lost a number of years and did not make progress.

"Now we need that progress because we want to convince our member countries that we should have an intergovernmental conference with Montenegro in June. We hope to have positive news in the area of ​​the rule of law before June and the intergovernmental conference," said Varhelji.

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić, responding to a question regarding the Basic Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church, repeated that it will be known as soon as it is agreed upon.

"I asked numerous lawyers what the practice is for someone to make a working version available to the public. I know that Montenegro has completely freed itself, but even in that freedom there must be certain limitations, which are completely clear and procedurally defined. Until now, it has never been set the issue, and not even the contract with the Chinese side, related to the highway did not attract as much public attention as this contract, which is the most classic contract and cannot go beyond the framework of the Constitution and the law," Krivokapić said.

He said that the Government, not only prosecutorial laws, but everything they do in the future, will work with European partners.

"This is what we did at the previous session of the Government when the Judicial Council was supposed to undergo only one cosmetic change, we decided to consult European partners and with their consent do that part of the work," Krivokapić said.

Varhelji repeated that Montenegro and Serbia should have good relations. He did not want to comment on the Government's decision not to withdraw the decision to declare Serbian Ambassador Vladimir Božović persona non grata.

Answering the question of how he comments on Serbia's interference in the internal affairs of Montenegro and whether it is acceptable for the EC, he said that he would never encourage a Western Balkan country to interfere in the internal affairs of another.

"We have seen too many tensions and too many bad relations in the Western Balkans. We must have good neighborly relations. Serbia and Montenegro are neighbors," said Varhelji.

He explained that his message on Twitter, that when Serbia withdrew its decision to declare the ambassador of Montenegro persona non grata, that Montenegro should do the same, was aimed at calming tensions.