Čarapić: Two intergovernmental conferences in May and June, several chapters will be closed

The head of the parliamentary group of the Europe Now Movement (PES), Vasilije Čarapić, said that two more intergovernmental conferences between Montenegro and the European Union will be held in May and June, at which several negotiation chapters will be closed.

He said that there is no faster pace than the one they are currently implementing.

"No one has ever managed to close this many chapters during one mandate. Before this Government, three chapters were opened, two of which were opened and closed on the same day," said Čarapić.

At the PES press conference in parliament, Čarapić could not specify exactly how many chapters would be closed.

He said that there will be a session of the Parliament tomorrow, that the laws returned by President Jakov Milatović (the Law on Internal Affairs and the Law on the National Security Agency) will be voted on again, and that PES will vote for these laws.

Responding to the question of when the election of judges to the Constitutional Court will be on the agenda, Čarapić said that the court has six judges and is not blocked.

He said that "someone cannot invent a social phenomenon and say that it is important for the European path," noting that Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said yesterday that it is important for the country to elect two judges (US).

"She didn't say that. She said - it's important that you continue the way you've been doing it so far and we'll continue that way," said Čarapić.

He pointed out that at today's collegium, they proposed to the opposition that all laws that are in the procedure and have been agreed with the European Commission be debated, and that they be voted on once the final opinions are received. As he said, this was not accepted by the opposition.

Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration Jovan Subotić (PES) said that the current Government has closed 11 chapters in negotiations with the EU in a short period of time and received IBAR, which shows that the closure of all chapters by the end of the year is certain.

He said that this means working diligently on all chapters and benchmarks of all chapters in order to complete the chapters within the stipulated time frame.

"This also means that the outlined dynamics are being respected and that what was once an ambitious plan for Montenegro is now a certainty and reality," said Subotić.

He pointed out that the 300.000 pages of the European acquis are something that Montenegro must harmonize its system with and something that is the most demanding that any candidate has had to fulfill so far.

He said that closing Chapter 21 (Trans-European Networks) means inclusion in regional and European networks when it comes to transport, energy and telecommunications, as well as opening up European funds in these areas:

"This improves our traffic, tourism..."

Subotić said that European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that there was no mistake and that Montenegro was the most advanced country in accession negotiations.

Čarapić, responding to the question of whether he would respond to this morning's invitation from President Jakov Milatović, said that they were not aware of what happened at Milatović's press conference, and that today they were only interested in explaining to citizens what Chapter 21 is and conveying the positive impressions they received in Brussels.