Montenegro has a plan and we are ready to close all negotiation chapters by 2026 and prepare Montenegro to become the 28th member of the European Union by 2028, said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.
The Ministry announced that on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague, she had a series of bilateral meetings with colleagues from EU institutions and member states and informed them about Montenegro's progress in the process of European integration.
She met with the foreign ministers of Romania and Lithuania, Luminit Odobeska and Gabrielius Landsbergis, the EU's special representative for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo and the regional issues of the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčak, and the state secretary for European affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Marko Štucin.
As it was announced, the Minister presented to the interlocutors the significance of the success achieved by Montenegro by obtaining a positive IBAR. "By obtaining the IBAR, all doors are open to Montenegro when it comes to the negotiation process. It is the Government's responsibility and obligation to do everything on the wings of that success to bring this work to an end".
"We have a plan and we are ready to close all negotiation chapters by 2026 and prepare Montenegro to become the 28th member of the EU by 2028. We are working full steam on preparing the chapter for closing during the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, but also on the implementation of the road map until 2026, which we prepared with colleagues from the European Commission", said Gorčević.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Luminita Odobescu, said that Montenegro is perceived as a leader in the process of European integration and that it is a positive example for the Western Balkan region, but also for all candidate countries.
"In this turbulent time, Montenegro is a chance for the EU to move forward and show that the enlargement policy has not died." You are a country that can show in a short period of time that expansion is possible," Odobescu said.
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, shared the country's experience in the EU accession process and pointed out the good moves, but also the mistakes made by this country on the European path. He praised Montenegro's 100% compliance with the Common Foreign and Defense Policy of the EU.
"The process must be based on merit and this applies to all candidate countries. It is a principle that we must not lose. "Lithuania still has a fresh memory of the process and institutional memory because the people who worked on the EU accession process are still working in our institutions, that's why we want to offer you our expertise," said Landsbergis.
The EU's special representative for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo and regional issues of the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčak, said that there is a very positive perception of Montenegro and the progress it has achieved in the European Union.
"Montenegro has a generational opportunity, and this government can bring Montenegro into the European Union. You can do a lot of good things, stay the course and don't let anything get in your way. Everything can wait except EU integration. Subordinate everything to that," said Lajcak.
The State Secretary for European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Marko Štucin, reminded that there has been stagnation for a certain period of time when it comes to enlargement and that no candidate country has taken a significant step on the way to the EU. "The fact that Montenegro received IBAR and that it will close its chapters in December is a big step forward not only for the candidate countries, but also for the European Commission and the EU as a whole."
In Prague, Gorčević is participating in the GLOBSEC Forum, which this year gathered around 2.000 participants from more than 70 countries, and will speak on the panel "The Road Ahead: Key Priorities of the New EU Leadership".
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
