College for Negotiations holds its fourth session

The College for Negotiations held its fourth session today, chaired by Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić. Chief Negotiator Zorka Kordić and Minister of Economic Development Jakov Milatović took part in the session, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare.

Prime Minister Krivokapić emphasised that the key goal of this Government is to turn the interim benchmarks in Chapters 23 and 24 into final ones. Considering the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on the European perspective of our country, it was pointed out that the institutional and administrative response to current obligations arising from negotiation process should be intensified, especially in the rule of law. This will confirm the common commitment to the European integration process and strengthen the engagement with the EU member states, which is at the same time one of the additional advantages of the new approach in the negotiations, i.e. the revised enlargement methodology.

The session noted that efforts in Chapter 23 and Chapter 24 need to be stepped up in order to speed up the necessary reforms, in line with the Action Plan to address the EC's recommendations.