Minister Pejović in Rome: Italy strongly supports Montenegro's accession to EU

Rome, Italy (5 December 2017) -- Italy will always be with Montenegro and provide it strong support in the realisation of key internal and foreign policy goals, the Minister of European Affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejović said during the meetings with the President of the Senate of the Republic of Italy Pietro Grasso and the former Prime Minister of Italy Massimo D'Alema.

The meetings exchanged views on the current situation in Montenegro, the region and the EU, with a joint assessment that the Western Balkans transforms and gradually approaches the standards and quality of life of the member states of both associations through the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

President of the Senate Grasso gave his full support to the accession of Montenegro to the EU, pointing out that Italy, as a great advocate of the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkan countries, looks forward to the results that Montenegro achieved, and that Montenegro's progress influences positive developments throughout the region. The meeting with the President of Senate was organised in the framework of the visit of the Committee for European Integration of the Parliament of Montenegro and Minister Pejović participated in a meeting with the President Adrian Vuksanović and the members of the Committee, as well as the Ambassador of Montenegro to Rome, Sanja Vlahović.

Former Prime Minister D'Alema congratulated Montenegro on the achieved results, expressing his full support to our country for the successful completion of the EU accession process. He suggested that, although progressing at a different pace, he sees all the countries of the Western Balkans as future members of the Union.

Speaking about the European integration of the region, Minister Pejović stressed the need for the new Enlargement Strategy to provide a clear vision of the Western Balkan's accession in the coming period, with precise expectations, both from the enlargement countries and EU members. In this context, the officials agreed to organise a joint conference dedicated to the European perspective of the Blakans, after the announcement of the Enlargement Strategy, which is scheduled for February 2018. He expressed satisfaction with the intensity and quality of bilateral cooperation and the successful implementation of joint projects with the Embassy of Italy, which included several events and a printed publication of the Roman Treaties.

Minister Pejović thanked Italy for its support in joining NATO, as well as for the expert and technical support of Italian institutions and individuals in meeting the requirements for EU membership. He emphasised that Italy is an important partner and a strong support to Montenegro, both in the implementation of significant infrastructure projects, as well as in cross-border and transnational cooperation programmes. He also pointed to the importance of cultural and scientific exchange, expressing satisfaction with the traditionally good and meaningful relations of the two countries that are bounded by deep historical and cultural ties.