Chief Negotiator Pejović visits Helsinki: Finland supports Montenegro’s EU accession

Helsinki, Finland (27 February 2014) -- State Secretary for European Integration and Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Andrija Pejović visited Helsinki, where he held a number of bilateral meetings with Finnish Government and Parliament officials in charge of European affairs.

In his meeting with Director General of the Department for Europe Jukka Salovaara, Mr Pejović spoke about the results achieved and future commitments on the road to EU membership. Ambassador Pejović informed his interlocutor of the current activities in the accession process, focusing in particular on the implementation of reforms in the rule of law area, and he voiced his expectation that the good dynamics of the accession process will continue through the opening of the remaining accession negotiations.

Director General Salovaara noted that, after Croatia, Montenegro has taken the role of the EU integration leader in the region. He also noted that Montenegro has set a new model for other enlargement countries to follow in the form of the new approach to accession negotiations and the results it has achieved. He underlined the importance of maintaining a good tempo of reform activities and pledged Finland’s in all tasks related to the negotiation process.

The Chief Negotiator had bilateral meetings with Finnish MPs – the chairman of the finance committee and rapporteur of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly for Montenegro Kimo Sassi, deputy chairman of the European affairs committee Paula Lehtonen, and chairman of the foreign affairs committee Timo Soini. He informed his interlocutors about the organisation and coordination of the accession negotiations process and presented Montenegro’s key rule of law reforms. The MPs welcomed the dynamics and quality of Montenegro’s reforms and underlined they will continue monitoring the results and providing support to Montenegro in meeting European standards.

During his visit to Helsinki, Ambassador Pejović met with enlargement coordinators at the ministries of justice, the interior, finance, and agriculture, whom he informed about Montenegro’s priorities and key challenges and requirement in the integration process. Mr Pejović and his hosts also exchanged opinions on the possibilities for Finland to provide transfer of knowledge and experience related to accession, by way of cooperation between the two countries’ line ministries and by implementing projects aimed at capacity-building and preparations for membership.

Ambassador Pejović visited the Finnish Institute of Public Management and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, where he exchanged opinions with officials about the institutional framework for managing EU structural funds.