UK supports EU enlargement because it contributes to stability, ambassador to Montenegro says

Podgorica, Montenegro (24 November 2011) – The United Kingdom supports the enlargement policy of the European Union because it contributes to the EU’s stability in every way, said the UK ambassador Catherine Knight-Sands at her meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Duško Marković yesterday afternoon.

As the Council of the European Union meeting nears, Ms Knight-Sands underlined that each candidate country’s progress towards the EU membership should be assessed on the individual basis and that each country should progress according to its own success. DPM Marković underlined that Montenegro has achieved notable results in a rather short time and reiterated that Montenegro remains committed to the EU integration regardless of the Council’s December decision regarding the opening of the accession negotiations.

Ms Knight-Sands took the opportunity to reintroduce the UK Embassy’s recent initiative to provide to Montenegro expert and financial assistance towards the strengthening of its legislation in the area of public sector corruption. The two sides agreed that it is as yet too early to set the dates for the implementation of this initiative, adding that it must be preceded by an all-encompassing analysis of the existing legal framework in the area of fight against corruption.