PM Marković meets EU and WB ambassadors: Fulfilling Montenegro's intergation ambition would be substantial progress for EU as well

Podgorica, Montenegro (2 July 2018) -- Prime Minister Duško Marković told a meeting with the ambassadors of the member states of the European Union and the Western Balkans that Montenegro has gone a long way in the process of European integration, and that the country seeks to obtain final benchmarks for chapters 23 and 24, with the preliminary fulfillment of provisional measures because this would represent the essential progress of the European Union's negotiations with the State that a forerunner in the negotiating process.

The Prime Minister congratulated Austria and expressed his gratitude for the fact that during its presidency, the Western Balkans was one of the priorities. He also thanked Bulgaria for hosting the first EU-Western Balkans leaders' summit after 15 years.

"We are pleased to see that Austria, in addition to all the current and very complex problems facing the EU, recognises the importance of the region, as a direct EU neighbourhood but also a natural part of Europe, for its safety, stability and progress. The current year has proved to be very significant for the European perspective of the region, including the publication of the European Commission's Strategy for the Western Balkans, which will be certainly contributed by the upcoming summit in London. We are grateful that the European Union promotes enlargement as one of its most valuable policies and sends a message to the region to believe in it. The decision to open negotiations with Albania and Macedonia is realistic at this point, and we welcome it. It is important that the process is irreversible. We are ready, as before, to share our valuable experience with all of our neighbours in order to ease their way, which Montenegro has already gone through. Tomorrow, the first joint session of the Montenegrin and Albanian cabinets will take places," said Prime Minister Marković.

He briefed the ambassadors about Montenegro’s European integration process and highlighted the priorities.

"The Office for European Integration has been established at the Office of the Prime Minister and the new chief negotiator has been elected. Bearing in mind the current phase of the negotiation process, it is clear that a serious job is ahead of this team. Fulfilling obligations from the European agenda is a priority for all segments of the state administration.

As to the priorities, there is an inevitable area of the rule of law. We have taken special care to review the recommendations of the European Commission’s report. We have defined the Operational Plan for meeting the priorities, and we can expect at least the implementation of the largest number of activities before sending a non-paper, which is scheduled for November. The Government is conducting consultations with all relevant institutions in order to achieve the necessary results jointly, while respecting the principles of power sharing and the independence of individual institutions. This week we will hold a session of the Collegium for Negotiations, where clear inputs will be shared with institutions for more intensive work by the end of the year, which should contribute to achieving internal readiness to close a number of chapters," the Prime Minister highlighted.

PM Marković pointed out what Montenegro did in the fight against corruption and organised crime, and expressed satisfaction that the majority of opposition parties, after an impressive result of the ruling coalition in the presidential and local elections, broke up the boycott of the parliament.

Austrian Ambassador Anna Janković said at the beginning of the meeting that Montenegro is at the forefront of the European integration process, and that Austria remains firmly committed to EU membership of all six Western Balkan countries based on measurable results.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO