State Secretary for European Integration and Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Andrija Pejović and Director-General for European Affairs at the MFAEI Snežana Radović participated earlier today at the meeting of European affairs directors-general held in Riga.
The meeting was hosted within the Latvian presidency of the EU and it discussed the priorities in the first half of 2015, cooperation towards attaining those priorities, and current issues important for the EU.
Having in mind current challenges in political, economic, and international developments, the EU has defined three priorities that will be the focus of Latvia’s presidency: competitive, digital, and engaged Europe. Within these priorities, action will be taken towards creating new jobs and achieving economic growth, developing the basis for a digital Europe, and getting the EU involved in global issues.
The meeting underlined that the enlargement policy has its place among the set priorities and noted that it remains an important part of the current EU presidency, especially having in mind its importance in promoting political stability and economic progress in Europe. In that context, it was underlined that the Latvian presidency will keep an eye on the development of accession negotiations with Montenegro. Support was reiterated for all Western Balkans countries in the process of EU accession and it was noted that the progress towards membership would be based, as it has been before, on individual results of candidate countries.
Ambassador Pejović welcomed the decision to make enlargement one of the priorities of Latvia’s presidency and underlined that this confirms the consistency of EU policy towards the Western Balkans’ European perspective. He presented the negotiation process results and underlined that Montenegro will make use of the time ahead with the view intensifying reforms processes and making notable progress towards EU membership.
During his visit to Riga, Ambassador Pejović held a meeting with Latvia’s State Secretary for European Affairs Andrejs Pildegovičs. The two officials exchanged opinions on Montenegro’s further activities aimed at EU accession, as well as possible areas of cooperation. The support of Latvian presidency was confirmed with the view to maintaining the success of reform implementation and maintaining the good pace of accession negotiations.