The president of the URA movement, Dritan Abazović, said that the countries of the region are not already in the European Union (EU) because, as he stated, we have political elites who are satisfied with the status quo, and behind everything is corruption.
"Only those who are steeped in organized crime and corruption don't want changes. They don't want strong institutions, they don't want justice, and it suits them that we have been negotiating about joining the EU for decades. Citizens want something completely different. I stick to the thesis that I keep repeating that behind nationalism on The Western Balkans is facing corruption," Abazović said in an interview with NIN.
As he stated, "by solving or suppressing that problem, I am sure that our path to the EU would be faster, more effective and more successful".
He added that it is up to the citizens to identify those who are blocking all of this, "if we really intend to join the EU in this decade".
When asked how he assesses the current relations between Serbia and Montenegro, he stated that since he took over the Government of Montenegro in 2022, relations have been on an upward trajectory.
"We managed to establish cooperation in several fields, and the communication of the state leadership improved in all segments. It is true that there is room for further joint progress and I am sure that this is in the interest of both parties. We are close countries that have so much in common and it is completely unnatural for us to be at a 'distance' because of daily politics," said Abazović.
He stated that he expects Montenegro to soon appoint an ambassador in Belgrade, reminding that Serbia has already appointed its ambassador in Podgorica and stated that in this way the two countries will have "the same type of relationship" and better discuss everything that is important for the future of the region.
He stated that he has good personal relations with the authorities in Serbia.
"I understand that there are a large number of people who, due to their political failures, want to make a drama about it. I had very good relations with all the leaders of the countries of the Western Balkans. This also applied to Serbia. I am proud of the fact that we had open communication even when we had opposing views on certain issues. In this way, we built trust and created human capital for the challenges that lie ahead of us," explained Abazović.
Bonus video:
