Athens: Strong support for Montenegro's EU accession

During the visit of the Minister of European Affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejović to Athens, it was announced that Greece congratulates on Montenegro’s accession to NATO and welcomes the results achieved in the EU accession process, announced. At the meetings with alternative ministers of foreign affairs Giorgos Katrougalos, economy and development Alexis Charitsis and members of parliamentary committees for European and International Affairs, and the friendship groups with Montenegro in the Greek Parliament, full support of Greece to European integration of Montenegro was underlined. The Ambassador of Montenegro to Greece Petar Popović also participated at the meetings with Greek officials.

Minister Pejović thanked for the support provided by Greek experts in several areas, such as justice and internal affairs, agriculture and food safety, environment, transport and telecommunications and the internal market. He informed his interlocutors about the current situation and further plans in the negotiation process. The Minister pointed to a number of constructive solutions in various economic and other forms of cooperation in order to make the available funds from European funds more efficient for connecting the two countries, and therefore the entire Adriatic and Ionian region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos stressed that Greece is looking forward to the achievements of Montenegro on the foreign policy plan and that we can count on the full support of friendly Greece in the continuation of the accession process. In this context, the officials exchanged their views on enhancing cooperation in the chapters in which the country has good expertise and where the transfer of Greek experience and knowledge can significantly contribute to the implementation of reforms and accelerating accession negotiations with the EU, such as fisheries, agriculture, the environment, competition and the use of structural funds.

Minister of Economy and Development Alexis Charitsis expressed satisfaction with the excellent cooperation between the two countries within the Mediterranean and Adriatic and Ionian Transnational Programme, where Montenegrin partners cooperate with Greek partners in 20 projects on the development of smart and sustainable growth, better connectivity in the field of transport and energy with a special accent on the Adriatic and Ionian motorway and the Ionian and Adriatic gas pipeline.

During the visit to the Greek Parliament, opinions and experiences regarding the role of parliament in the process of European integration were exchanged, and the implementation of the Memorandum on Improving the Cooperation of Parliaments of the two countries was discussed. Minister Pejović's interlocutors pointed out that Greece will continue to provide strong support to the negotiating process, accelerating reforms and joining the EU through bilateral, technical and expert cooperation, as well as through regional initiatives.