By improving regional cooperation, exchanging knowledge and experience, we will ensure that the joint aspiration of North Macedonia and Montenegro to become full members of the European Union becomes a near future, said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević and Minister of European Affairs of North Macedonia Orhan Murtezani.
Today in Podgorica, they discussed the current reform agendas of North Macedonia and Montenegro, with a focus on the key areas of public administration reform, the judiciary and the improvement of democratic governance.
The ministers also exchanged opinions on the involvement of the European Union in the Western Balkans, which, as they pointed out, gained new momentum with the new European Commission. Along these lines, the interlocutors pointed out the importance of the new instrument, the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, whose goal is to further support the economic integration of the region into the single European market.
Gorčević and Murtezani agreed on the significance of quickly implementing key elements of the Plan, which include investments in infrastructure, energy transition and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Minister Gorčević emphasized that, with the increasing focus of the EU on deepening ties with the region, it is very important that the countries that are in the process of accession show a strong commitment to implementing the necessary reforms and harmonizing with EU standards.
In this context, they agreed to intensify cooperation between their ministries in the coming period.