Croatian FM Pusić: EU accession talks crucial for building istitutions in Western Balkans

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Podgorica, Montenegro (12 June 2012) – Foreign Minister Milan Roćen and his Croatian counterpart Vesna Pusić signed the cooperation agreement in EU and NATO integration between the two countries in Podgorica earlier today.

The agreement enables the continuation of the cooperation in this area, FM Roćen told the press following the signing ceremony, adding that Croatia’s experiences and know how in the EU accession negotiations are valuable to Montenegro.

FM Roćen thanked the Croatian Government for its support to Montenegro’s NATO accession efforts and to the country’s defence reform process, adding that mutual relations between the two countries can serve as an example of excellent relations in the region.

The two foreign ministers also discussed in Podgorica the activation of the joint commission with the view to reaching a mutually acceptable solution for the issue of the crossing border Prevlaka.

Foreign Minister Pusić said that the agreement is a “glance into the future” as it offers an opportunity for Montenegro to use Croatia's experiences from the accession talks, which Croatia sees as the experience in building the state and its institutions.

For the Western Balkan's region, she continued, the accession negotiations are more significant than anything else.

“The membership is good, significant, the membership is a recognition, it means a long term stability, but with regard to building institutions, the path to the membership is crucial”, Minister Pusić emphasised.

The Government decided, Foreign Minister Pusić remarked, to made available the Croatian translation of EU acquis communautaire to Montenegro in 2009. Bearing in mind the fact that the EU legislation continually changes and modifies, FM Pusić handed on this occasion the translation of EU acquis communautaire for the period 2009 – 2012 to the Montenegrin Minister Roćen, as a part Croatia's assistance to Montenegro's EU bid.