The European Union (EU) will welcome the formation of the new Government of Montenegro, which is expected to restore political stability and functionality of institutions.
"The Council welcomes the formation of the new government and encourages it to restore political stability and to quickly advance Montenegro's path to the EU and its strategic direction. Political consensus and will are needed to urgently restore the functionality of democratic institutions and fulfill long-standing reform obligations", it is stated in draft conclusions that will be adopted at the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on December 12.
Those conclusions will then be confirmed by the European leaders at the Summit, which will be held on December 14 and 15.
In the conclusions that the RTCG correspondent from Brussels had insight into, it is stated that the Council welcomes the overall progress achieved in the accession negotiations so far, with 33 open chapters and three temporarily closed, but also calls for the fulfillment of tasks in the area of the rule of law.
"Montenegro should without delay refocus its efforts on meeting the interim benchmarks of Chapters 23 and 24 on the rule of law. No other chapters will be temporarily closed before this milestone is reached," the conclusions state.
The Council also reminds that progress in those chapters is essential and will continue to determine the overall pace of accession negotiations, reports the RTCG portal.
The appointment of the seventh judge of the Constitutional Court is welcomed
In the part of the document related to appointments in the judiciary, the appointment of the seventh judge of the Constitutional Court, who is now fully operational, is welcomed.
"The Council recalls the urgent need to restore the functioning of the main judicial bodies, especially by finalizing the appointments that are still pending, and to speed up and deepen the implementation of key judicial reforms, in order to guarantee an independent, efficient and high-quality judicial system," it states. in the document.
The EU also encourages Montenegro to increase its efforts, especially in critical areas such as the fight against corruption and organized crime.
"While acknowledging the progress achieved, Montenegro must improve its results in investigations, criminal prosecutions, final judgments and seizure and confiscation of property acquired through crime," states the conclusions that will be adopted by the Council for General Affairs and then confirmed by EU leaders.
Increase efforts in the areas of freedom of expression and media freedom
Noting some progress, the Council also encourages Montenegro to increase its efforts in the areas of freedom of expression and media freedom, including the institutional protection of journalists from all forms of violence.
As for the economic criteria, the Council welcomes the strong recovery and stable growth of the economy, the stability of the banking and financial sector and the improvement in the labor market.
"The Council encourages Montenegro to implement structural reforms, reduce public debt and continue efforts to strengthen fiscal management and transparency," the document states.
In the part related to foreign policy and regional cooperation, the Council welcomes the government's commitment to the further development of regional cooperation and the improvement of good neighborly relations.
"The Council strongly commends Montenegro for its consistent cooperation on foreign policy issues and its firm and long-term full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures - which is a "strong signal of Montenegro's strategic commitment to its path towards the EU".
The conclusions will also welcome the continued active participation of Montenegro in EU missions and operations within the framework of the Common Security and Defense Policy.
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