PMs Marković, Zaev: EU integration has no alternative

Podgorica, Montenegro (30 November 2019) – Montenegro and North Macedonia have established excellent bilateral relations and the full integration of the two countries into the European Union has no alternative, it was noted at the meeting of Prime Minister Duško Marković and Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, held in Podgorica.

"Our bilateral relations are fantastic, we have no open issues but only the need to work together for the good of our countries and the entire region," Prime Minister Marković pointed out.

The meeting discussed the further European integration of the two countries. Both sides emphasised the expectation that the EU internal consolidation process and the consideration of new modalities of the negotiation process would take place as soon as possible, so the Western Balkans could progress more dynamically towards the EU. The Prime Minister highlighted that regardless of these processes in the EU, Montenegro remains fully committed to reforms in a European Agenda, which has no alternative.

Prime Minister Marković particularly stressed the full support of Montenegro for the almost full membership of the North Macedonia in NATO and underlined the readiness of our country to assist in any way its preparation and to share its experience as the youngest member of the Alliance, so far.

Prime Minister Zaev thanked Montenegro for being the first NATO member state, who ratified their accession protocol and expressed hope for the North Macedonia to become a full member of the Alliance, over the next year.

The two officials agreed that the regional cooperation is extremely important and it needs to be further strengthened. In this regard, Prime Minister Marković pointed out the significance of the Berlin process and the fulfilment of the linking agenda as a framework that can make a significant contribution to the development of the region.

 
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER