After joining NATO, next goal is EU membership

Vienna, Austria (6 November 2017) -- European Union has no alternative for the Western Balkan countries. Montenegro showed courage by joining NATO and the next goal is its membership in the EU, the round table titled "Regional Cooperation as a part of the European Integration," held earlier today within the Vienna Economic Forum, concluded.

Economy Minister Dragica Sekulić, who participated in today's forum, said that the focus of today's meeting of the region's leaders is on improving regional cooperation, as well as the region's cooperation with the European Union.

"It is critical for the EU to recognise our region as a region in need of investment, in whose infrastructure it is necessary to invest. This is another opportunity for talking about what we are planning to do in the coming period, in the light of the preparations for the next meeting of the Berlin Initiative to be held in London in June next year," Minister Sekulić noted.

The fact is that, as she added, if we want to increase commodity exchange, exchange of services and trade balance between the countries of the region, then we have to work hard on connecting the infrastructure.

"One of the classic examples is that we need to upgrade the Sarajevo - Podgorica road, as well as all the roads connecting us with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, if we want to increase economic cooperation and trade exchang, as well as economic growth of our region," she underlined.

The fact that the prime ministers of all the Western Balkan countries have met seven times this year speaks volume, and testifies to the fact that Montenegro has no outstanding issues with the neighbouring countries, and that economy, and not politics, has become the prevailing topic of discussions.

"Our citizens need to feel the benefits of our aspirations towards the EU, namely a greater number of funds, a greater number of projects that can be financed from these funds and a better life in our countries. Because you cannot talk about the EU only in political terms, but our citizens need to feel, though enjoying a better standard of living, why we strive for the EU," Minister Sekulić concluded.