Brussels: Van Rompuy commends Montenegro’s EU path, PM Luksic voices commitment to even harder work

Prime Minister Igor Luksic and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy gave a joint press conference in Brussels this afternoon, after meeting for talks on Montenegro's progress in meeting the priorities set for the opening of EU entry talks.

President Van Rompuy said that the meeting discussed relations with Montenegro as the country moves closer to the Union. He emphasised that Montenegro received the candidate status last December, that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement entered into force last May and that Montenegrin citizens have been allowed visa-free travel to the Schengen zone. He made a point of saying that Montenegro has achieved “considerable results” emphasising that he appreciates “Prime Minister’s determination and commitment to continue with reforms... necessary to make the conditions for opening the accession negotiations.”

He pointed in particular to the issues of fighting corruption and organised crime, the rule of law, media freedom, the issue of displaced persons, and the electoral law. He underlined that “these are significant challenges and there are no shortcuts” to finding solutions.

President Van Rompuy also welcomed the Government’s “Action Plan and broad consultations with civil society,” underlining that regional cooperation and stability “remain important for the EU” and reiterating the remark from his last year’s visit to the Balkans that “EU integration cannot substitute regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations.” He added that he encourages Montenegro to continue contributing to this end, especially through its chairmanship of the South-East Europe Co-operation Process.

Prime Minister Luksic thanked President Van Rompuy for his personal contribution and the support of the Council expressed in the granting of the candidate status to Montenegro, which, as he said, “is an important milestone on our European road,” which “the new Government takes as its strategic priority”. He underlined that his visit to Brussels was a “sign of Montenegro’s commitment to strategic priorities of accomplishing the European agenda.”

He said he presented the Action Plan to President Van Rompuy, elaborating on it in detail, with assurances that the Government will put maximum efforts into meeting this agenda and ensuring the date for negotiations. PM Luksic concluded by emphasising that “Montenegro has no burning ambition to get the date,” but “only to meet all the commitments on the EU agenda.”

They also talked about global affairs and regional issues and PM Luksic underlined that the countries of the region share many views on how to continue with their European agendas.