Prime Minister and Hungarian Ambassador host reception marking the closure of negotiation chapters

On the occasion of the closure of three negotiation chapters with the European Union under the Hungarian Presidency, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and Hungarian Ambassador József Negyesi hosted a reception at Villa Gorica for members of the diplomatic corps, Government, and Parliament.

Prime Minister Spajić expressed gratitude to Hungary for its steadfast support of Montenegro’s European integration efforts and highlighted the achievements Montenegro has made in the past year.

I am convinced that the year we are about to leave behind is fundamentally important for the mission of Europeanism and for fostering stronger cohesion by integrating the Western Balkans into the community to which this region naturally and geographically belongs, said the Prime Minister.

He extended congratulations to other countries in the region that have also achieved significant progress over the past year, noting that winds of Euro-optimism are once again blowing across the Western Balkans.

The Prime Minister emphasized that EU membership is not solely the responsibility of the Government but a task for society as a whole. He referred to the "Barometer 26" platform, which aims to bring together all societal actors who can contribute to this goal.

Based on how individuals align with this initiative, the true and sincere intentions will become clearer. This will also determine where we stand and which forces we will rely on as we move forward, because forward is our only path, Spajić concluded.

Hungarian Ambassador József Negyesi reiterated Hungary’s unwavering commitment to supporting Montenegro’s EU accession efforts.

Hungary has been dedicated to and unanimously supportive of Montenegro’s EU accession endeavors from the very beginning. During our six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, which is now coming to an end, Hungary has provided Montenegro with full political and technical assistance to help accelerate its European integration process, said Ambassador Negyesi.

As Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the EU draws to a close, we are pleased to note that Montenegro has made significant strides toward EU membership, fulfilling our hopes and objectives. Hungary sincerely believes that the accession of Western Balkan countries, including Montenegro, which leads the enlargement process, would strengthen the EU, promote stability, and enhance the continent’s competitiveness, he added.

Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro Johann Sattler also addressed the gathering.

Ambassador Sattler congratulated Montenegro on its numerous accomplishments this year, including a positive IBAR, the adoption of the Reform Agenda, joining SEPA, and the closure of three negotiation chapters.

Undoubtedly, 2024 has been a highly successful and ‘fruitful’ year, as we say in the Balkans. We have seen what Montenegro can achieve when its politicians choose to set aside differences and jointly support European reforms. In the future, we may look back on this year as a turning point that marked the beginning of the final phase of negotiations, but only if Montenegro's political elite remains fully committed to the European agenda, avoiding unilateral decisions, boycotts, or prioritizing divisions, Sattler stated.