Ivanovic: It is difficult to accept that after joining the EU we do not have the right to vote, Montenegro wants to be an equal partner

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Filip Ivanović said that Montenegro's goal is full membership in the European Union (EU) with voting rights.

At a panel on enlargement in Brussels, he emphasized that Montenegro wants to be an equal partner, adding that it is difficult to accept that after joining we do not have the right to vote, reports the RTCG portal.

"We have been one hundred percent aligned with EU policy for years. Why shouldn't we then have the right to vote? We expect nothing less than full membership, and after that we would continue to be aligned with the EU and a partner. We don't want anyone to think differently and to be a victim of someone's concerns," Ivanovic stressed, adding that Montenegro wants to contribute more actively, not passively.

When asked to comment on the statement by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos that after membership, new countries could be placed on a probationary period, after which they could be excluded if they violate EU standards, Ivanovic said that Montenegro has been on a probationary period for more than 13 years.

"Even after the chapter is closed, we are on a probationary period. As far as I'm concerned, once we become a member, the probationary period ends," Ivanovic concluded.