The Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Aleksandar Bogdanović participated in a meeting in Brussels organized by the SD Group in the European Parliament on the subject of enlargement policy.
In an address before European MPs and representatives of sister parties from the region, he said that he was encouraged by the fact that the policy of enlargement remains high on the list of priorities of European socialists, but also expressed concern about the situation in the countries of the region where "anti-European forces are flourishing and affecting the integration process".
"The past three years in Montenegro have been completely wasted, we have two unsuccessful replaced governments, a stumbling economy and expelled credible foreign investors, and Montenegro, which opened all negotiation chapters a long time ago and was a leader in integrations - stuck in that process, as evidenced by and the last Progress Report, which is the worst since Montenegro negotiated for membership. "We have not closed a single negotiation chapter, and of the nine billion euros that the EU has allocated for projects in the Western Balkans from 2021 to 2027, Montenegro has not used a single cent, due to poor state management," said Bogdanović, as reported by DPS.
The crisis, he said, is present in "all forms of social activity": "From healthcare to economy and education, and the worst of all is that the inadequate functioning of institutions has caused a serious political crisis."
Part of the current parliamentary majority in Montenegro, as he said, is made up of parties that are "at the service of Russian aspirations, which was confirmed by the newly elected president of the Assembly, who comes from the ranks of those political structures that cannot reconcile with state independence, nor with membership in NATO, as well as a leading role in EU accession".
"Bogdanović further indicated that in such a social and political environment, the DPS will remain consistent with European values, which it fought for and which it has woven into Montenegrin society, and continue to act as a strong opposition to the government structures and defend the national interests of Montenegro. He expressed his belief that the European perspective will remain real, and that both European and regional leaders will recognize that any kind of challenge should not be an excuse for deviating from certain agreements within the EU, but also the EU and the region," added the DPS.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Bogdanović also had short meetings with European officials, the president of the SD Group of Irace García Peres, the vice president of the SD Group for foreign affairs, Pedro Marques, the vice president of the Government of North Macedonia, Bojan Maricik, and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in the Government of Kosovo, Hajrul Ček.
Bonus video:
