"Montenegro can participate in the next EP elections, if it continues with reforms and measurable results"

If it continues to implement reforms and achieve measurable results, Montenegro can become a full member of the European Union (EU) by the next elections for the European Parliament (EP), so its citizens will have the opportunity to participate in them and contribute to creating the future of the EU, it was said. last night at the "Election Night on the Occasion of the EP Elections" event, as announced by the Ministry of European Affairs (MEP).

At the event, which was organized by the Delegation of the European Union and the Ministry of European Affairs, with the support of the EU4ME project, the EU ambassador Christina Oana Popa pointed out that the EP elections represent one of the most significant democratic events in the world and that they are the only multinational direct elections in the world. She pointed out that these choices empower citizens, strengthen the legitimacy of the EU and strengthen unity in diversity.

More than 370 million people from 27 member states will vote in elections that began yesterday in the Netherlands and will last until Sunday evening. A total of 720 MPs will be elected, and each country has a fixed number of MPs that can enter the EP - Germany as the largest EU country will have 96 MPs, and Malta as the smallest - six, according to the MEP.

"Based on Montenegro's ability to implement reforms and remain firmly on the European course, I hope that Montenegrin candidates will soon run for the European Parliament," said Popa at the event where those present had the opportunity to participate in a simulation of voting for the EP.

As the ministry announced, the ambassador referred to the "intensive work of Montenegro", which today expects to receive IBAR and "enter the final phase of negotiations": "Montenegro could soon meet the key criteria of the rule of law and decisively improve its prospects for membership in the EU. But there is still a lot of important work to be done in these last days, and there will be even more work until the negotiations are completed."

The Minister of European Affairs also spoke about the "dedicated work of the administration", as it is added Maida Gorcević and pointed out that the adoption of the laws required for IBAR, which should be finalized today in the Parliament, will show that our country is not only declaratively committed to European integration.

"Nevertheless, all these results are not just ours - they are the result of joint work with our European partners who provided us with continuous support, knowledge and understanding to persevere and give a new strong impulse to the reform processes", said Gorčević.

The minister, as stated, expressed "great gratitude to the EU and Ambassador Popa, without whom our European integration would not have been possible in this scope and capacity in which it is taking place, especially in the past few months".

"And in the end, I will not talk about hopes, but about the firm belief that by the time of the next European elections, Montenegro will be a full member of the EU, so Montenegrin citizens in the next election cycle in the Union will have the opportunity to vote themselves, participating actively in making decisions that shape the future of our continent", said Gorčević.

A panel was also organized at the event, with the main negotiator of Montenegro and the EU Predrag Zenović, assistant professor at the University of Donja Gorica Nikoleta Djukanovic and a long-time correspondent of Jutarnji list from Brussels Augustin Palokaj discussed the impact of the EP elections on Montenegro.

The interlocutors agreed that the right, "which will be strong in these elections as well, will not be a threat to enlargement, because it is divided, and yet the decisive majority will be held by parties that are in favor of that policy, which is one of the most successful policies of the European Union".

"The EU and commitment to EU development. I do not expect any major changes compared to the current convocation, in terms of the change of political groups and the number of seats they will win. The right is always there to scare, but I do not share the opinion that there can be a significant change in the key policies that the EU will advocate and lead," said Đukanović.

Palokaj, however, pointed out the danger of the growth of the extreme right in the EU member states: "The EP has a role in the enlargement, but the member states participate in the negotiations and they can block it if the extreme right comes to power there." However, no matter how loud they are, I don't expect their influence to be so great that they can block the processes".

The new configuration of the EP and the new elected institutions will, Zenović believes, be on the path of strengthening the enlargement policy as the most important pillar of the EU's foreign policy and its geopolitical influence.

"I believe that for the Western Balkans and Montenegro there is no fear or apprehension that the process will be slowed down. I believe that in the new geopolitical context, that process will be accelerated, and Montenegro will be the first next member of the EU," Zenović said.

With MEP State Secretary Bojan Božović, who moderated the panel, the interlocutors exchanged opinions on the lowering of the voting age in EP elections to 16 years, and welcomed the increased participation of young people in this election process.