Spajić, Szijjártó: Montenegro to close eight or nine chapters by end of year

The priority during Hungary's presidency of the European Union will be the enlargement process, and Montenegro can close eight or nine chapters by the end of 2024, it was stated at a meeting between Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Szijjártó.

The first goal is for Montenegro to obtain a report on the fulfillment of the interim benchmarks (IBAR) by June, thus creating space for the closure of certain chapters.

This is extremely important for the entire administration because everyone will feel that we have taken a huge step forward in the accession process. The additional impetus for everyone to work much harder on the EU agenda will be provided by the excellent dynamics through obtaining IBAR and closing chapters, emphasised Prime Minister Spajić, thanking Hungary for its strong support in the EU integration process.

Minister Szijjártó emphasised that Montenegro has excellent prerequisites to be the next EU member state, given its NATO membership and use of the Euro as currency.

We will do our utmost to assist in negotiations, and during our presidency, we want to focus on the enlargement process. We see that Montenegro has embarked on reform processes, and we are aware that it takes time, but you can count on continued support, said Szijjártó.

During the discussions, it was noted that economic cooperation is exceptionally important for further development of excellent relations. It was emphasised that there is tremendous potential to enhance cooperation in multiple areas.

In this context, the importance of direct cooperation between the two governments was emphasised, particularly in infrastructure development, as the vision is for Montenegro to complete all major projects within the next six years.

Improved transportation connectivity will also enable a greater influx of tourists from Hungary. Minister Szijjártó highlighted that Montenegro is highly popular among Hungarian citizens.

In this regard, strengthening direct air connectivity between Podgorica and Budapest was agreed upon.

It was concluded that several Hungarian companies operate successfully in Montenegro, and the Government will make every effort to further improve the business environment and eliminate all barriers. This will also be influenced by tax policy reform.