Now, finally, we have both partners for the tango: not only the will of the candidate country to join the EU, but also the political will of the European Union itself to accept new members, said Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović.
As announced by the Public Relations Office of the President of Montenegro, Milatović participated as the keynote speaker at the inaugural Balkan Forward Summit, held in Washington, organized by the Atlantic Council, where he said that the Western Balkans must not lose the attention of the international community, despite numerous global crises.
"Our international partners must not lose focus on the Balkans," said Milatović, emphasizing that the region is more politically complex today than it was a few years ago.
He reportedly stressed that the role of the United States is crucial for the stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans, especially in the context of the presence of other global actors.
Speaking about Montenegro's European perspective, Milatović recalled that when he was elected President, the strategic goal was set for Montenegro to become the 28th member of the European Union by 2028, assessing that the current geopolitical moment is extremely favorable.
"Now, finally, we have both partners for the tango: not only the will of the candidate country to join the EU, but also the political will of the European Union itself to accept new members," he said.
He pointed out that the enlargement process was never a technical issue, but a political decision, recalling that the European Union had expanded in exactly this way before.
As stated in the statement, Milatović said that "we must use the European integration process as an instrument of essential reforms, not as political PR."
"For me, European integration is not PR. It is an anchor, a roadmap to becoming a better society – a society in which the rule of law exists in the full sense," he pointed out.
As added by his Public Relations Office, the President referred to the recent adoption of a large number of laws in the Parliament of Montenegro without debate in the plenary session, warning that such practice is not in line with European standards.
"Okay, you're paid for one thing - to read and discuss laws - so read the law," the president said.
He added that "the point is not to come to the Parliament and raise your hand without having read the law," emphasizing that parliamentary work without substance calls into question the meaning of the institutions.
Milatović warned that mere formal voting cannot be a substitute for responsible decision-making, adding that "we don't need people who are paid very well just to raise their hands," because, as he pointed out, "the job can now be done with artificial intelligence."
"We are all paid by citizens to do our jobs," the president said, emphasizing that each institution must assume full responsibility within its jurisdiction.
The President emphasized that, in accordance with his constitutional role, he will continue to act as a corrective factor in the political system, with the aim of strengthening institutional accountability, democratic culture and the rule of law.
Concluding his address, Milatović said that Montenegro wants to enter the European Union quickly, but seriously, as a country with functional institutions and a real commitment to European values.
"That's it. It's that simple," he concluded.
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