Novaković Đurović: The EU door is still open, but there is no significant progress in key areas

The political message behind this year's European Commission Report is clear - Brussels continues to strongly support Montenegro to be the next member of the European Union, said Ana Novaković Đurović, Vice President of the Civic Movement URA.

She, according to the announcement from the URA GP, emphasized that progress in 18 chapters is an important step forward, but the government must understand that membership essentially depends on results in the fight against corruption, the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

"It is therefore unacceptable that there has been no serious progress in the most important chapters 23 and 24. The report confirms that the IBAR laws have not brought the expected reform - exactly what we pointed out at the time of their adoption. The problem is that the Government and the parliamentary majority are hindering the implementation of their own laws, due to the desire for party control over institutions," said Novaković Đurović.

She also emphasized that the opposition has shown what a responsible attitude towards the state interest looks like over the past year - it supported key laws, participated in electoral reform and appointments.

"The civic movement URA has been and remains a partner on Montenegro's European path. But we have not and will not turn a blind eye to the wrong decisions of the Government, bad laws, non-transparent work, unrealistic promises and misleading citizens. All of this, which we have been warning about for months, is now clearly stated in the European Commission Report," Novaković Đurović points out.

She concluded that in the next negotiation phase, concrete results will be measured much more than harmonizing laws and adopting strategies, adding that Montenegro therefore has only a period ahead of it that will show whether the political will for reforms exists in this Government.