EU-Montenegro conference in Brussels to open negotiating chapters 23 and 24

Podgorica, Montenegro (17 December 2013) – Montenegro’s delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić, will participate in the Intergovernmental Conference on Accession of Montenegro to the European Union in Brussels on 18 December. The delegation also includes Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Duško Marković, Interior Minister Raško Konjevć and Chief Negotiator for EU accession Aleksandar Andrija Pejović.

The conference, which will be chaired by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, is to open the negotiating chapters 23 - Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, and 24 - Justice, Freedom and Security. Another three chapters are expected to be opened as well.

Chapters 23 and 24 are the backbone of the European Union’s "new approach" to negotiations, and Montenegro is the first country to go through the new, more demand accession process.

The opening of the chapters was preceded by the development of the action plans for the two chapters and their early application in the area of constitutional amendments.

The conference is expected to be attended by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Štefan Füle.