DPM Pažin in Hague: Accelerated progress towards EU is best support to pro-European forces

VIDEO: Meeting of DPM Zoran Pažin with President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol - spray

By achieving remarkable results in creating a just and safe society, Montenegro has earned NATO membership and made significant progress in joining the European Union, permanently tying its future to the values and standards of developed democratic countries, Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pažin said at the meetings with senior officials of the Dutch executive and legislative power in The Hague.

At the meeting with President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out the great importance of the political and expert support of the Netherlands for Montenegro's certain European future.

He estimated that accelerated progress towards EU membership of those eligible candidate countries would be the best support to the pro-European forces and confirmation of the credible European future of the Western Balkans as the only guarantee of lasting peace and prosperity of the entire region.

President of the Senate Broekers-Knol emphasised that they in the Senate are very happy they could agree on Montenegro becoming a member of NATO.

"We are also convinced that Montenegro belongs to Europe and is doing a very good job at the moment meeting the requirements for the EU. So, keep up the good work," she said.

"We are implementing the reforms on the basis of which Montenegro will earn the reputation of the state with a strong rule of law by the time it enters the EU. The support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and other developed European democracies, as well as recognising and evaluating the concrete results that we are achieving, are presumptuous for success on our European path," DPM Pažin said.

Regardless of the significant geopolitical challenges that the entire region of the Western Balkans faces, he stressed, Montenegro remains firmly on the course of values and standards of Western democracies.

"We have permanently tied our future to the security framework, values and standards of developed Western countries. With the same degree of commitment as in NATO integration, we are working to fulfill the conditions for EU membership. Respective institutions have received clear instructions that obligations from the European agenda should not be treated in any way other than as a priority," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

At the meeting with Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker, DPM Pažin presented concrete results in the field of combating corruption and organised crime, and thanked the Dutch Government for its significant support and productive cooperation in the reforms in the area of rule of law in Montenegro.

He expressed particular gratitude for the great support of the Dutch Government and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee in the development of a system of alternative criminal sanctions, which already gives concrete results in Montenegro, facilitating the reintegration into society of persons sentenced to short sentences.