Press release: Sturanovic meets Mirel

Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic met in Podgorica today with Director of the Western Balkans Directorate at the EU Directorate General for Enlargement Pierre Mirel, who was visiting Montenegro on the occasion of the Enhanced Permanent Dialogue between Montenegro and the EU.

Having welcomed Mr Mirel, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the Enhanced Permanent Dialogue was taking place, which was supposed to pave the path to Montenegros fully-fledged integration into European structures.

The Prime Minister also informed his senior guest that the Government was strongly committed to European and Euro-Atlantic integration and that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU was expected shortly after its recent initialing, followed by its subsequent practical implementation. In order to accelerate the process of European integration, the Government adopted a number of documents, most importantly, the Action Plan for the Implementation of European Partnership Recommendations and a decision to establish a new committee and seven sub-committees for European integration which, as agreed with the EU, would constitute the necessary new structure for further development of mutual relations. The Prime Minister pointed out that the initiative to relocate the Council for European Integration to the Parliament should help include a wider social spectrum into the debate and decision-making on those issues.

Having thanked the Prime Minister for the kind reception and the thorough briefing, Mr Mirel emphasized the readiness of the European Union to provide all the support necessary to Montenegro on its European path. He explained that in order to achieve this goal, it was essential to have the support of the Montenegrin public, which increased with each successful step on the path of European Integration.

Both sides agreed that it would be very good to confirm Montenegros European course over the issue of the new Constitution and reach a social consensus on core values and principles of the European Union, enabling its adoption in the Parliament as a manifestation of the stability of the Montenegrin society.

It was agreed that further communication was a matter of mutual interest, which would help adopt European standards and achieve Montenegros full European integration.