Opening ceremony of the EU Twinning project Strengthening Capacities in Agricultural and Rural Development Sector for Common Agricultural Policy Implementation in Montenegro

Today, the opening ceremony for the EU Twinning project “Strengthening Capacities in Agricultural and Rural Development Sector for Common Agricultural Policy Implementation in Montenegro” was held at Vila Gorica.

On this occasion, the attendees were addressed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Vladimir Joković, the EU Ambassador in Montenegro, Oana Cristina Popa, as well as diplomatic respresentatives of countries participating in the project, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Karl Miller, the Ambassador of the Republic of France Anne Marie Maskay, the Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary Jozef Negyesi and the deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Valenčić.

The attendees were also addressed by representatives of the line ministry, as well as experts from countries involved in the implementation of the project.

The project will last 30 months, that is to say until July 2026, and the total budget financed by the European Union reserved for implementing project activities is €1,9 million.

During the introductory speech, minister Joković pointed out the significance of the new Twinning project for upgrading institutions with the goal of creating a competitive agricultural and rural development sector, in accordance with EU standards.

“I would especially like to point out the importance of access to EU funds, directed at achieving alignment with European standards. The IPARD program represents valuable support to our agriculture sector, enabling us to modernize, improve practices and strengthen competitiveness. Our implementation of the IPARD II program is nearing its end, and we started implementing the IPARD III program, the implementation of which will give the Montenegrin agriculture access to €128 million, €63 million of which comprise EU funds, 62% more compared to the previous IPARD II program.

Furthermore, within IPA 2021 project – "EU for supporting the agricultural sector in Montenegro”, the Ministry has been granted €1.9 million in support from the European Union for all three negotiation chapters. Today, we are opening the first contracted activity, which is precisely this Twinning project worth €1.9 million," Minister Joković emphasized.

The importance of institutional capacities of public administration for progress has been emphasized, and through this project, the reforms aim to improve conditions for agricultural producers, which will contribute to more efficient work and the application of best practices.

"Preparations for the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy for an accession candidate country are a demanding process. The closure of Chapter 11 is happening in the advanced stages of the negotiation process, because EU standards not only require adjustments to production and processing capacities, but also time for farmers to adapt to elevated production and market standards and adjust existing facilities accordingly. Therefore, the EU is financing this significant Twinning project to support Montenegro's efforts in finalizing its preparations for the EU agricultural policy. We have high expectations regarding the achieved results and encourage the Ministry to make the best of the invaluable experience that will be shared by the EU member states who are partners in this project," emphasized the European Union Ambassador to Montenegro, Oana Cristina Popa, in her statement."

The general objective of the project is to increase the competitiveness of the agriculture and rural development sector in Montenegro through gradual alignment with the Common Agricultural Policy and the legislative framework of the EU in the field of agriculture and rural development, all with the aim of creating a more market-competitive sector. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the institutional capacities of the public administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management, as well as to support key participants in the agriculture and rural development sector, in order for Montenegro to make significant process towards the closing of Chapter 11 of the EU acquis and to ensure conditions for a fully functional Paying Agency.

The project is implemented by the Austrian Paying Agency - AgrarMarkt Austria, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions, and Water Management of the Republic of Austria, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of the Republic of France, the Regional Chamber of Agriculture of Normandy - FranceAgriMer, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Hungary, and the Hungarian Paying Agency - Treasury, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, and the Agency for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development of the Republic of Slovenia.