Milatović: The seriousness of the agreement between the government and the opposition will confirm the fulfillment of obligations and respect for deadlines

The European path must remain the common denominator of all political actors, because only in this way can Montenegro seize the opportunity to become the next member of the European Union (EU), said Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, adding that the seriousness of the agreement between the government and the opposition will confirm the fulfillment of obligations and respect for deadlines.

In an interview with the MINA Agency on the occasion of July 13, the Statehood Day of Montenegro, Milatović said that the country is facing a historic opportunity that must not be missed.

Asked how important reaching a political agreement between the government and part of the opposition is for continuing the European path, he said that an agreement that enables progress in European reforms should be welcomed, because Montenegro has lost too much time on issues that should have been the subject of a broader social and political consensus.

"I continue to call on all political actors to return their focus to issues of national interest - reform of electoral legislation, election of Constitutional Court judges, amendments to the Constitution, more efficient functioning of institutions, improvement of the work of the judiciary," Milatović said.

It is important, he emphasized, that reform solutions are of high quality, sustainable and in line with the Constitution and European standards.

"I particularly expect that through further work, the shortcomings in the laws regulating the work of the police and the National Security Agency, which I previously returned to the MPs for reconsideration, will be eliminated, stating clear and legally justified reasons," Milatović added.

When asked whether the agreement between the government and the opposition is a guarantee that the fulfillment of obligations from the European agenda will not be blocked due to other internal political issues or daily political calculations, he replied that a political agreement can be an important step, but that it is not a guarantee in itself.

"Its seriousness will only be confirmed by consistent fulfillment of the obligations undertaken and respect for the established deadlines. However, we must be honest. This problem did not have to arise," Milatović said.

As he said, if all political actors had respected the Constitution, laws and institutions of Montenegro from the beginning, there would not be a need to resolve today through political agreement what should have long been a regular state business.

"Unfortunately, in our politics, a crisis is too often created first, and then its resolution is presented as a success," said Milatović.

He stated that citizens do not benefit from this, adding that they expect institutions to work, that obligations are fulfilled on time, and that state interests are not the subject of political trade.

"I would like us to reach a stage where political agreement on issues of national importance will be an expression of our responsibility towards citizens, and not something that requires constant encouragement from international partners. This is a characteristic of politically mature states and I believe that Montenegro should be one of them," emphasized the President of the country.

Asked whether he expects increased polarization and political calculations to occur during the campaign for the next parliamentary elections and whether this could slow down or jeopardize the fulfillment of obligations from the European agenda, Milatović emphasized that Montenegro's membership in the European Union (EU) must remain a common national goal, above daily politics and electoral competitions.

"The European future of our country is one of the rare issues on which there is broad national consensus," Milatović reminded.

He said that the election campaign will naturally bring political differences and harsher rhetoric, but that this must not jeopardize the fulfillment of obligations from the European agenda or slow down reforms on which the quality of life of citizens and the future of the state depend.

"The elections are over, but European obligations and responsibility towards the country remain. That is why the European path must remain the common denominator of all political actors. Only in this way can Montenegro seize the historic opportunity to become the next EU member," said Milatović.

When asked whether Montenegro would manage to close the remaining negotiation chapters by the end of 2026, given the dynamics since the beginning of the year, he replied that he believes this is an achievable goal, "if all political actors (remain) consistently committed to the European agenda."

"At the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, we received strong confirmation that Montenegro has a historic chance to become the next EU member state by 2028. Now it is up to us to show that we are up to the opportunity," Milatović emphasized.

According to him, European laws and standards are an important guide, "but they cannot replace our responsibility."

"No institution in Brussels can pass laws in line with European standards for us, elect judges of the Constitutional Court, create quality electoral legislation and institutions, improve the work of the judiciary, or amend the Constitution. We must do that ourselves," the President of Montenegro stated.

He said that from that position he will continue to provide full support to all efforts leading to the fulfillment of Montenegro's European obligations.

"This is a moment in which we must all show political maturity, responsibility and willingness to put the interests of Montenegro ahead of partial interests," said Milatović.

Asked to comment on the fact that the process of electing judges to the Constitutional Court has been pending for a long time, he said that the fact that the missing judges have not been elected so far represents a serious problem for the functioning of the rule of law and Montenegro's European path.

"It is known whose responsibility it is and who has not completed this important work for more than a year. I fulfilled my part of the constitutional obligation in a timely, transparent and responsible manner," Milatović said.

He said that the candidates he proposed, Podgorica High Court judge Predrag Krstonijević and Supreme Court judge Jelena Ružičić, have expert and professional references that qualify them to perform an extremely important function.

"In this way, I kept my word to the citizens who voted for change, that we will embark on reforms of the judicial system, starting with the election of judges who will not depend on party affiliation, but on their professional experience, independence and ethics proven during their work," Milatović added.

The Constitutional Court, as he pointed out, protects the rights of citizens, preserves legal certainty and guarantees that no authority is above the Constitution and the law.

"He must not serve the interests of any government or opposition. He must serve every citizen who expects legal certainty and a state in which the Constitution applies equally to all," said Milatović, adding that it is therefore necessary for the selection of the missing judges to be completed without further delay and in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

When asked what the biggest obstacle standing between Montenegro and its EU membership was, he replied that it was not a lack of knowledge about what needs to be done, but the time that is wasted when reforms of national interest become the subject of party calculations.

"Montenegro knows its path to the EU. We need functional institutions, a strong rule of law, an electoral process that citizens trust, and consistent implementation of European standards," Milatović said.

However, as he said, just as important as the question of when we will become a member is the question of what Montenegro will be like then.

Milatović said that the goal must be for Montenegro to enter the EU as a well-organized, democratic and economically strong state, with institutions that citizens trust.

"European reforms are not an obligation we fulfill for the sake of Brussels, but for the sake of our citizens. That is why it is most important today that we all show responsibility and commitment in order to successfully bring this historic process to a close," Milatović emphasized.

Asked what he would single out as Montenegro's greatest success since he took office as president, he said that the greatest success is that the country has restored its international credibility and returned to the focus of European enlargement policy.

As he stated, today Montenegro is being talked about as a country that has a realistic chance of becoming the first to become the next EU member by 2028.

"It is particularly important that through intensive dialogue with European colleagues and the organization of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, we have further strengthened the trust of our partners and confirmed that Montenegro can be a leader in the enlargement process," added Milatović.

On the other hand, he pointed out that time has been lost, because "for years, essential reforms have been slowed down by narrow party interests, instead of being guided by state priorities."

Issues such as strengthening institutions, the election of judicial office holders, and key reforms, according to Milatović, could have been resolved much earlier.

The most important thing, he said, is to learn a lesson from it.

"We have a historic opportunity ahead of us that we must not miss. If we have enough responsibility and statesmanship, this period will not be remembered only for its renewed international reputation, but also for the fact that Montenegro achieved its strategic goal and became a member of the EU," said Milatović.