The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Filip Ivanović, spoke about the important role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in obtaining a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report for chapters 23 and 24, within the “IBAR – key to EU membership” campaign, which is implemented by the Ministry of European Affairs.
In his statement, Ivanović states that, during the previous few months IBAR was an unavoidable topic in all discussions on the achievement of our key foreign policy priority, membership in the European Union.
“Diplomatic activity and daily communication with fellow foreign ministers and other high-ranking officials, but the communication of my colleagues, associates, our diplomatic and consular representations, was aimed at ensuring that the results achieved by the Government are recognized by the member states,” Ivanović said. .
According to him, IBAR is a goal, but also a mandatory stop, which determines the continuation of the European path.
“We promised to finish our part of the work as soon as possible and now, after only half a year, we are on the threshold of holding the Intergovernmental Conference under the Belgian presidency, where we expect a positive IBAR”.
Ivanović pointed out that, thanks to hard, dedicated and thorough work and cooperation between state institutions, as well as expert and political support from EU member states, Montenegro has justified its position as a reliable partner and leading state in the negotiations.
“A positive IBAR is our joint success, which will trace the continuation of the negotiation process and oblige us to continue at the same pace and with the same determination so that Montenegro really becomes the first next member of the European Union,” concluded the head of Montenegrin diplomacy.