Sekulović: Government's priority is the rule of law and concrete results in the fight against corruption and organised crime

Montenegro will continue reforms in order to achieve the main foreign policy priority, to join the European Union, and Montenegrin citizens recognise the importance of achieving this goal, Minister of Interior Sergej Sekulović said at the meetings with European Commission representatives.

In June and July, Minister Sekulović held a videoconference with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčić, European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography and Co-Chair of the Conference on the Future of Europe Dubravka Šuica, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas, who is in charge of migration issues.

The meetings were an opportunity to discuss current issues in the light of the new methodology.

The meeting with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčić pointed out that Montenegro is on an equal footing with EU member states through the Civil Protection Mechanism, and that Montenegro can count on EU support in the future. Minister Sekulović thanked the European Commission for the assistance and solidarity provided. Sekulović pointed out that Montenegro will continue activities to strengthen the capacity to respond to natural disasters and other disasters, and that it will make additional efforts to make the protection and rescue system even more operational and modern. 

The meeting with European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography and Co-Chair of the Conference on the Future of Europe Dubravka Šuica discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Minister Sekulović said that demography and democracy are broad and serious topics, and that our country, as well as other countries in the Western Balkans, face a challenge - to create a modern and developed society, but not at the expense of human rights, family preservation and sensitivity to minority and children's rights. Referring to the Conference, he said that every democracy must have contact with the citizens, and that it would be of great importance for Montenegro to be included in the mentioned Conference.

The meeting with EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson was an opportunity for Minister Sekulović to emphasise his satisfaction with Montenegro's results in the field of migration, adding that working groups for negotiation chapters 23 and 24 have been formed.

Commissioner Johansson said that Montenegro has made progress in the rule of law and congratulated on the results. She assessed that Montenegro has an adequate system for migrants, and that she is happy that working groups for Chapters 23 and 24 have been formed. Sekulović informed the Commissioner about the action of the Montenegrin Police in which the head of an organised criminal group was arrested, adding that the Ministry of Interior is drafting three important strategies: the National Strategy for Combating Transnational Organised Crime, the Strategy for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing and the Development Strategy of the Police Directorate. Sekulović expressed satisfaction with the work of the new management of the Police Directorate, and also referred to the cooperation with FRONTEX, emphasising the good cooperation and continuous joint actions.

The meeting with European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas, who is in charge of migration issues, was an opportunity to highlight the results that Montenegro is achieving in this area. Commissioner Schinas expressed satisfaction with the efforts that Montenegro is making in this area and which are evident, and stressed the expectation that further improvement in this area will be provided through the establishment of a system of electronic identification of migrants and continued strengthening of reception capacities. Minister Sekulović expressed Montenegro's commitment to respecting international standards in the field of international protection and said that continuous work is being done on developing administrative and reception capacities in the field of migration and asylum, while the capacities for border management are gradually increasing.

Reform activities, especially in the area of rule of law, remain a priority in the work of Montenegrin institutions, and the Government of Montenegro is determined to remain consistent in providing concrete results in the fight against corruption and organised crime, with zero tolerance for these negative social phenomena, Minister Sekulović said.