Montenegro and Moldova are strengthening their partnership on the path to the European Union (EU), it was announced at a meeting between the deputy prime ministers of the two countries, Filip Ivanović and Kristina Gerasimov.
As announced by the Montenegrin Government, during the meeting, special attention was paid to the exchange of experiences in the field of European integration.
"Ivanović presented Montenegro's plan for closing negotiation chapters, with the aim of closing all chapters by 2026, and stressed the importance of political will, functional administration and professional staff in achieving that goal," the statement said.
It is stated that Ivanovic conveyed Montenegro's key experiences in implementing reforms and leading the negotiation process, pointing out the main challenges and mechanisms that have proven effective.
"He stressed Montenegro's readiness to provide full expert and technical support to Moldova, in the spirit of European solidarity. He also reaffirmed Montenegro's strong support for the EU enlargement policy, based on the individual merits of each candidate country," the government said.
As they stated, Gerasimov informed Ivanovic about the current status of Moldova's European integration, which is in the early stages of the accession process.
She assessed that the screening process is being carried out successfully and that there is a strong political will to implement key reforms.
"She also emphasized the importance of exchanging experiences with countries that have already gone through certain phases of the process, emphasizing that Montenegro can serve as a valuable example and partner," the statement said.
It is stated that, after the meeting, Ivanovic and Gerasimov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of European Integration and the Accession Process, which represents the basis for deepening bilateral relations and a more intensive exchange of knowledge, experiences and good practices in all phases of the negotiation process with the EU.
"As the country that has advanced the furthest in negotiations with the EU among the candidate countries, Montenegro will make its knowledge and expertise available to support Moldova in the early phase of the process," the Government announced.
This document, as stated, recognizes European integration as a common strategic goal and confirms the commitment of both countries to the values on which the EU is founded - democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights and sustainable development.
"The memorandum envisages a wide range of activities, including cooperation in the areas of harmonization of legislation with the EU acquis, public administration reform, strengthening institutions, and the fight against corruption and organized crime," the statement said.
It is added that the Memorandum also envisages joint projects within the framework of the Green Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
"It also includes the organization of joint workshops, trainings, meetings of negotiation teams and study visits, as well as the establishment of mechanisms for joint planning and implementation of activities within the six clusters of the negotiation process," the statement said.
By doing so, as the Government said, Montenegro and Moldova confirm their readiness to accelerate their path towards full EU membership through mutual support and solidarity.
The Memorandum signing ceremony was also attended by the Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević and the Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the EU, Predrag Zenović.
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