In the past few months, Montenegro has made significant progress, it has moved the farthest in integration and deserves to be the first and next member of the European Union (EU), said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Filip Ivanović.
He said this in a conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavski, at whose invitation he was on an official visit to that country.
As announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP), the focus of the conversation between Ivanović and Lipavski was European integration, the current positive moment in the negotiations with the Union and the further strengthening of political dialogue and interstate relations.
"Montenegro has made significant progress in the past few months, it has advanced the furthest in negotiations and deserves to be the first next member of the Union," Ivanović pointed out.
He repeated that this is the absolute priority of the Montenegrin Government.
"We greatly appreciate the clear and strong support of friendly and partner countries on this path," Ivanovic said.
He emphasized that the Czech Republic, continuously, through proactive political and diplomatic activity, shows that it is a strong advocate of EU enlargement and a promoter of the interests and progress of Montenegro and other candidate countries.
Lipavski, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Czech Republic is on the side of Montenegro.
"We will continue to provide political and expert support for the implementation of reforms and further progress of Montenegro towards EU membership. We believe that soon, at the Intergovernmental Conference with the EU, you will start closing the chapter," said Lipavski.
He pointed out that it is very important that the enlargement policy is high on the agenda of the Union and that the negotiations with the candidate countries are intensified, especially bearing in mind the current geopolitical trends.
As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Ivanović and Lipavski also discussed the further development of bilateral relations, especially strengthening economic cooperation and connecting the business communities of Montenegro and the Czech Republic.
It is added that they announced the fifth Mixed Commission on economic cooperation between Montenegro and the Czech Republic, which will be held at the end of May in Podgorica.
During the visit, Ivanović also met with the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vistrčilov, as well as with the Deputy Speaker Jitko Seitlova and Senators Pavel Fischer and Adela Šipova.
"The importance of parliamentary cooperation was emphasized, with the assessment that Montenegro is the country with the best results in negotiations with the EU and that the Czech Republic strongly supports our further progress," the announcement states.
As it is added, Ivanovic congratulated the interlocutors in the Czech Republic on the 20th anniversary of EU membership and 25 years of NATO membership, stating that the Alliance is an important framework for cooperation between Montenegro and the Czech Republic and joint efforts to strengthen stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
"The visit to the Czech Republic is a continuation of activities in the direction of strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation with partner and friendly countries and is on the line of intensified communication with EU member states, in accordance with the key foreign policy priority - membership in the Union," the statement said.
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