The report of the European Commission (EC) reflects the continuous progress of Montenegro towards membership in the European Union (EU) and confirms the commitment of Montenegrin institutions to European standards, especially in the areas of the rule of law, the judiciary and the fight against corruption, said chief negotiator Predrag Zenović.
As announced by the Ministry of European Affairs, Zenović spoke with members of the Working Group of the EU Enlargement Council (COELA) in Brussels, and the meeting was hosted by the Mission of Montenegro to the EU.
Zenović said he was satisfied with the EC's assessment in the new Progress Report, emphasizing that the report recognizes Montenegro's commitment to European integration.
He thanked COELA members for their support, stressing that the Report is an additional incentive for implementing reforms in harmonizing legislation with the EU acquis.
"The EC report reflects the continuous progress of Montenegro towards EU membership and confirms the commitment of Montenegrin institutions to European standards, especially in the areas of the rule of law, the judiciary and the fight against corruption," said Zenović.
As he said, the stability of the Government was assessed as a key factor in the consolidation of the democratic institutions of Montenegro, while the Report also recognizes significant challenges on the way to further integration, especially in the area of green transition, environmental protection and public administration reform.
Zenović pointed out that the upcoming reform steps are necessary for successful approximation to European standards.
He emphasized that special progress was achieved in chapters 7 - Intellectual property law, 10 - Information society and media, 20 - Entrepreneurship and industrial policy, 31 - Foreign, security and foreign policy, which were prepared for closing by the end of the year.
Zenović praised the adaptation of domestic legislation to the European legal acquis, especially in the domain of copyright, which, as he pointed out, the EU assessed as a positive step and a sign of Montenegro's high level of readiness.
"With these reforms, we have opened the way to new opportunities in the field of intellectual property," Zenović said.
He also pointed to key steps important for closing Chapter 10, such as the adoption of laws on electronic communications and audiovisual media services.
According to him, these changes enabled the further development of digital infrastructure and strengthened the independence of regulatory bodies, which was recognized as a significant step towards full compliance with EU standards.
"Progress is also evident in Chapter 20, where the new Industrial Policy is based on strategic documents, with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic economy and reducing business barriers," Zenović said.
He said that Montenegro remains consistent in following EU foreign policy guidelines.
"In Chapter 31, Montenegro remains fully aligned with all measures and actions of the EU, preserving the principles of sovereignty and inviolability of borders, which is one of the key goals on its European path," said Zenović.
As he pointed out, these positive developments show Montenegro's commitment to achieving European standards.
"We are ready to continue working on the key reforms that are ahead of us and that lead to full membership in the EU," said Zenović and added that Montenegro has maintained a leading position among candidate countries for EU integration.
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