The meeting of the Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) between the European Union and Montenegro was held today in the Montenegrin Parliament. Members had the opportunity to discuss the state of accession negotiations between the EU and Montenegro, with a focus on rule of law reforms, economic reforms, sustainable development, and the green economy.
The opening remarks were delivered by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić. Participating on behalf of the Government was Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević. Representing the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council was Hungary’s Ambassador to Montenegro, József Négyesi, while EU Ambassador to Montenegro Johan Sattler attended on behalf of the European Commission. The meeting was co-chaired by Montenegrin MP Dejan Đurović and the Head of the European Parliament’s delegation to the SAPC, Tomas Waitz.
Minister Maida Gorčević expressed confidence that the current European Parliament and European Commission would focus on strengthening the enlargement policy, describing it as the most important pillar of the EU’s foreign policy.
“With a commendable level of political stability achieved, Montenegro has become the epicenter of Euro-optimism in the past year,” the Minister stated, emphasizing the exceptionally high level of public support and full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy.
Minister Gorčević congratulated Marjan Šarec on his appointment as the European Parliament’s permanent rapporteur for Montenegro and wished the new European Parliament a successful mandate. She noted the expanded delegation from the European Parliament at this SAPC meeting compared to previous ones, highlighting a heightened interest in Montenegro’s EU integration process.
The Minister underscored that this development further obliges Montenegro to act responsibly and diligently in this critical process.
She noted that by appointing heads of key positions in the judiciary, Montenegro had resolved a longstanding institutional deadlock, paving the way for further reforms.
The Minister recalled that, with the support of European partners, the Government and Parliament successfully adopted 12 systemic laws and four strategic acts in record time. These reforms covered areas such as judiciary, anti-corruption, organized crime, media, and fundamental rights, fulfilling the criteria to secure a positive IBAR rating.
She described the achievement of the IBAR rating as a significant boost not only for Montenegro but also for the EU and other candidate countries.
“This confirms that the enlargement policy is back in focus, that the EU integration process is alive, and that it guarantees merit-based progress,” she said.
The SAPC meeting also provided Minister Gorčević with an opportunity to announce the closure of additional negotiation chapters by the end of the year, as well as the provisional closure of six chapters in 2025:
Chapter 3: Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services; Chapter 4: Free Movement of Capital; Chapter 5: Public Procurement; Chapter 6: Company Law; Chapter 11: Agriculture and Rural Development; Chapter 13: Fisheries.
She highlighted the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as a significant incentive on the path to European integration, allocating over €383 million in support, part of which is grant-based and part provided through favorable EU loans.
“The decision of EU member states to support Montenegro’s Reform Agenda confirms that the Government has developed a feasible implementation plan and quality reforms.”
Referring to the recent visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Montenegro, the Minister shared that Montenegro had received encouraging messages to maintain its intensive pace, which is yielding tangible results.
“Our expectations were confirmed that the results achieved by the Government in the past period would be recognized by the European Commission and reflected positively in the 2024 EC Report. This year Montenegro received the most favorable progress report since the start of negotiations and was praised for significant advancement compared to the previous year,” the Minister stated.
She emphasized that the positive assessments in the Report serve as additional motivation for the Government to remain committed to its obligations on the path to EU membership, Montenegro’s strategic national goal.
Recognizing that the agenda for full EU membership by the end of 2028 is ambitious and requires the full focus of all political and societal actors, Minister Gorčević affirmed that the Government has chosen its path, is committed to working tirelessly, and will not relent until its ultimate goal is achieved.