Gorčević: Montenegro has an ambitious but realistic deadline to close all negotiation chapters by 2026

Excellent cooperation between the Government and UNDP and its continuous support in implementing a large number of demanding reforms contributed to Montenegro efficiently and qualitatively fulfilling numerous obligations on the European road, said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.

She said this at a meeting with the Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) and the Director of the UNDP Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, Ivana Živković.

Gorčević, as announced by the Ministry of European Affairs, pointed out that Montenegro has an ambitious but realistic deadline to close all negotiation chapters by 2026 and that in that process it will need further expert support from UNDP, through the engagement of experts and preparation of strategic documents in several areas.

Živković congratulated Montenegro on receiving a positive report on the fulfillment of temporary criteria for the rule of law (IBAR).

She pointed out that UNDP is ready to support Montenegro in the implementation of strategic priorities and reforms defined by the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, especially in the areas of rule of law, private sector development and green and digital transition.

"The processes of Montenegro's accession to the European Union (EU) and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Agenda are largely complementary, because in Montenegro even two-thirds of the measures within the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are related to negotiation chapters," said Živković.

As she said, two decades of partnership between UNDP and the EU at the global level are an incentive to continue joint work on priorities from those two processes, especially in the areas of environmental sustainability, justice and social policy, for the benefit of the entire Montenegrin society.

It is stated that Gorčević and Živković also discussed UNDP's support in the implementation of the Reform Agenda as a new and demanding instrument that should enable the implementation of comprehensive reforms in Montenegro.

"They expressed their satisfaction with the cooperation and expert support of UNDP in the field of promoting gender equality and concrete solutions aimed at progress in this important area," the statement said.