Despite the long wait, Montenegro regained momentum this year with significant progress towards closing the chapter, which rekindled optimism for membership in the European Union (EU), said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.
Gorčević, on the sidelines of the "Europe Summit" organized by the Institute of the Regions of Europe, held in the Austrian city of Salzburg, had a series of bilateral meetings with officials of EU member states.
Gorčević met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Sijarta, the Austrian Federal Minister for the EU and the Constitution Karolina Etstadler, as well as the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds of Croatia Šime Erlić and the Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development of Slovenia Aleksander Jevšek.
Gorčević, as announced by the Ministry of European Affairs (MEP), informed the interlocutors about the progress of Montenegro in the negotiation process and the successfully completed Reform Agenda for the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
"Despite the long wait, Montenegro regained momentum this year with significant progress towards closing the chapter, which rekindled optimism for EU membership," said Gorčević.
She said that Montenegro should hold the third Intergovernmental Conference this year and crown the successful first year of the Government's work by closing four negotiation chapters.
She added that this was preceded by a period of stagnation and this is the first time in seven years that Montenegro is temporarily closing chapters.
"It is expected that this will happen at the intergovernmental conference with the EU by the end of December," Gorčević explained.
When it comes to the Reform Agenda for the Growth Plan, Gorčević explained that Montenegro has prepared a set of reforms, but also a number of projects that are included in this document and that will be financed with EUR 383 million, which have been allocated for Montenegro until 2027. year.
"The first tranche is expected by the end of the year, and in addition, Montenegro will soon join the Single Area for Payments in Euros - SEPA, simplifying cross-border financial transactions and improving operations and additionally attracting companies from the EU," said Gorčević.
Sijarto, as stated, welcomed the effort and commitment of Montenegro and the great progress in the negotiation process and said that for Montenegro the situation with the closing of the negotiation chapters is clear.
It is stated that Hungary is preparing an Intergovernmental Conference where, during their presidency of the Council of the EU, Montenegro will close four chapters.
He added that one of the most important goals of the Hungarian presidency is the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans.
Stadler said that Austria advocates a merit-based approach, and, as she added, Montenegro has advanced the farthest in the negotiation process and I believe that it can become the 28th member of the Union by 2028.
"The admission of Montenegro to the Union can be a motivation and an example for other candidate countries so that they do not lose faith in the process and see that enlargement is possible," said Etstadler.
With Erlić, Gorčević discussed the transformation of IPA into regional funds and how to prepare for what awaits the country after membership.
Erlić said that it is necessary to strengthen administrative capacities in order to respond to the challenges of regional funds and to use all the EU funds that have been made available.
He said that Croatia's model can also be applied to Montenegro because it has proven to be successful, and in terms of approved funds, Croatia is among the first in the EU.
"Croatia is an example that EU membership has a transformative power, and we want all neighboring countries in the EU. This is a security guarantee that is needed by the Union, but also by the candidate states," said Erlić.
Jevšek is said to have offered Slovenia help in the area of cohesion policy so that Montenegro could prepare for what comes after full membership - regional funds that bring much more opportunities and money.
He said that Slovenia is ready to share knowledge and experience in the field of EU funds in order to strengthen the capacities of the Montenegrin administration.
The MEP said that Gorčević also spoke with the undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Igrida Levrence, as well as the director of the Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development Dieter Hempel.
Gorčević discussed with them the expert assistance that Montenegro needs in all areas, because the capacities at its disposal are limited, and the country has a huge task ahead of it in order to close all negotiation chapters and prepare for membership.
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