Montenegro has prepared the first version of the Reform Agenda for the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans in a short period of time, said the State Secretary in the Ministry of European Affairs and National IPA Coordinator, Bojan Božović, opening the IPA program coordination meeting and conveying the expectation that the European Commission will soon issue a feedback information about the proposed measures.
"The future of Europe is our common agenda. That is why it is the duty of all of us, both the EU and the countries that are in the process of accession, to work together and maintain the momentum of enlargement," said Božović.
In the press release of the Ministry of European Affairs, it is written that the meeting was held today in Podgorica, in a hybrid format, and that the Director for the Western Balkans in the General Directorate for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Valentina Superti, spoke via video link.
"She pointed out that the importance of the IPA is more than financial support and represents a joint investment in the socio-economic development and improvement of the democratic processes of the Western Balkan region. It is especially important to achieve stable progress on the path of accession and to make additional efforts to fulfill all the prerequisites, and The EC will support the process through the recently launched Growth Plan in order to bring the benefits of EU membership even before accession. The partners in the WB will receive support of up to 6 billion euros through the use of this new instrument, in addition to the IPA funds. This combined and increased financial support will to significantly strengthen the economies of the region," said the Ministry.
Božović, writes4 in the announcement, said that it is time to strengthen the ties of the Western Balkans with the EU and that he expressed his belief that the strong political support of the Union and the Growth Plan will be a strong impulse for the region and an incentive for the governments of the Western Balkan countries to take new, more intensive steps and accelerate the implementation of reforms with the aim of reaching European standards and improving the quality of life of citizens.
They added that he said that Montenegro has intensified reform activities in the negotiation process, they said in the statement, adding that, in parallel with that, the focus of the Government's work is the successful and efficient use of EU funds.
"We are convinced that the support provided by the European Union, both through the Growth Plan and through IPA, 'WBIF' and other instruments, will be an effective mechanism for implementing the reforms necessary to get Montenegro's accession to the EU back on track," he said. is Božović," the announcement concludes.
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