Successful protection of citizens' rights and security is best recommendation for Montenegro's faster progress towards EU membership

PHOTO: DPM Zoran Pažin meets with EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn

Podgorica, Montenegro (22 February 2019) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Zoran Pažin met earlier today with Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.

Montenegro has made visible progress in the key areas of rule of law which the European Commission pointed out in its latest annual report, DPM Pažin said at the meeting.

"The results that Montenegro achieves in the consistent implementation of European policies, primarily through the protection and promotion of the freedoms, rights and security of our citizens, give us the right to expect the support of European partners to the faster progress in the accession process," the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

He estimated that the decisive efforts of state authorities against organised crime resulted in numerous arrests of members of criminal groups, prevention of a number of serious crimes and significant progress in key investigations.

Commissioner Hahn expressed expectation that this year, during his mandate, the European Commission will be able to conclude that Montenegro has met interim benchmarks in negotiating chapters 23 and 24, giving clear guidelines for the final closure of negotiations in these chapters.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of Science Sanja Damjanović, who presented the project for the establishment of the South-East Europe International Institute for Sustainable Technologies (SEEIIST).

The Minister expressed gratitude to the European Commission for the significant financial support in the development of this scientific project, which according to her has the potential to become one of the leading projects within the European Neighbourhood Policy.

Establishment of the Institute is Montenegro's initiative aimed at strengthening scientific and technological cooperation, strengthening scientific capacities and preventing the outflow of talent from the region.