Sattler: If you make an effort, you will get into the EU faster

EU Ambassador in Montenegro Johan Sattler He said yesterday that Montenegro now has the opportunity to quickly progress towards EU membership, but it must make an effort.

"But let's be clear, no amount of support or goodwill will automatically bring Montenegro into the EU. The country must make the effort," Sattler stressed at a meeting of the EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) held in Podgorica.

He added that it is necessary, together with civil society partners, to continue efforts to ensure that this opportunity is not missed, the Ministry of European Affairs announced.

"Let this committee be a reminder that EU accession is a shared responsibility, one that includes all stakeholders, from unions and business associations to non-governmental organizations," he said.

Co-Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee from the Montenegrin side Gordana Đurović She said that the time available for this ambitious goal is not long and that Montenegro needs to mobilize all its resources in the Government, Parliament, and the judiciary, "in order to strengthen political dialogue between key stakeholders, as well as dialogue with civil society, and so that the successful completion of accession negotiations would lead the country towards full membership in the Union."

She recalled that Montenegro is firmly committed to becoming the 2028th member of the Union by 28.

Đurović called on all stakeholders to make a joint commitment to Montenegro's European future, emphasizing that only through dialogue, trust and joint efforts can the ambitious goals set before Montenegro be achieved.

The main negotiator of Montenegro with the EU Predrag Zenović He said that it is of crucial importance to properly assess all the challenges that stand in the way of Montenegro's path to the EU.

"Therefore, continuous dialogue at different levels and with different actors in political, social and economic life is of essential importance at this stage of the negotiation process," said Zenović.

Stressing that the Government takes seriously the guidelines provided by the European Commission in the latest Report on Montenegro, Zenović pointed out that an Action Plan has been adopted to address key EC recommendations in all negotiation chapters, with the aim of fulfilling obligations by the end of next year.

The LKO is one of the bodies established within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Agreement concluded between the EU and Montenegro.

The Committee enables civil society organizations from both sides to monitor Montenegro's progress towards EU membership and adopt recommendations addressed to the Montenegrin Government and EU institutions.