- Government of Montenegro
Minister Pejović in Salzburg: Junker's initiative ...
Minister Pejović in Salzburg: Junker's initiative is good signal for Montenegro
Salzburg,
Austria (25 September 2017) -- Minister of European Affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejović participated
in the 13th Conference of European Regions and Cities, organised by the
Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) in Salzburg, Austria.
Together
with the Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement
Negotiations Johannes Hahn and ministers for European and Foreign Affairs of
the Western Balkan countries, Minister Pejović took part in the panel entitled “Next generation of new EU
members“. Panelists exchanged their views on the progress made in the implementation
of political and economic reforms and the perspective of membership, as a
common goal of all countries in the region.
Speaking
of the EC President Juncker's initiative for the European Commission to create the
Strategy for successful accession of Montenegro and Serbia by the end of 2018,
Minister Pejović pointed out that this is the first time, after a long period,
that the European Commission gives a time frame within which two countries are
expected to implement the necessary reforms and join the European Union. In this
context, the Minister emphasised that the Juncker's initiative is a good signal
for Montenegro and Serbia, but also for other countries in the region, adding
that each country is progressing according to individual results.
Commissioner
Johannes Hahn pointed out that the EC President Juncker's initiative further strengthens
the European perspective of the region, stressing that the time frame by 2025 is
a moving target and, in fact, there is no speed limit, and it may happen that
some countries can access earlier and some later. He noted that the EU door is
open to all Western Balkan countries, with the view that it is important to
show sustainable results, especially in the area of rule of law and economic
development. He empshasised that all countries in the region should become EU
members, thus completing the European project by their membership.
MINISTRY OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS