EU’s Parliament Resolution: Clear picture of Montenegro’s progress and advice for improvements in pursuing EU membership

Brussels, Montenegro (11 March 2015) -- European Parliament adopted earlier today the Resolution on Montenegro, which highlighted the need to further reform the country’s judicial system and boost media freedom, while underlining the progress Montenegro has made as the only country in the region opening and provisionally closing some negotiating chapters.

The Resolution welcomed Montenegro’s full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, stressing that more efforts should be made in fighting corruption, ensuring independence of the judiciary and guaranteeing freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

Montenegro is committed to pursuing its European path and it is important to retain domestic cross-party support in achieving the foreign policy goal, the Resolution stated. Although the EU acquis is demanding tough benchmarks for the membership, Montenegro has met them in an effective and qualitative manner, MEP Charles Tannock emphasised.

The resolution called on Montenegro to tackle not only organised crime and corruption and to improve media freedom, but also to resolve border disputes with its neighbours: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia.

While progress in the accession negotiations will be assessed by the level of strenghtening the rule of law, the Resolution also signalled it is necessary to pursue economic reforms in order to harmonise the country's economy with that of the EU.