State Secretary for European Integration and Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Andrija Pejović spoke earlier today with EU member-states’ ambassadors about the European Commission’s 2014 Progress Report.
The meeting was hosted by the EU Delegation in Podgorica as part of its regular consultations with heads of missions of EU member-states about Montenegro’s EU integration process.
Ambassador Pejović presented the findings underlining that the Report notes progress that has been made, gives concrete recommendations and specific guidelines, and suggests where more needs to be done.
The assessments, and especially the recommendations, given by the EU Commission are very important for Montenegro, because they show where we did good, where we need to continue working or step up the activities currently underway, or undertake new ones, the Chief Negotiator has underlined. In that context, Mr Pejović added that in its strategic documents Montenegro has already identified various challenges in certain areas that have been underscored by the EU and added that Montenegro will give them due attention in the coming period.
The European Commission is our partner and friend in this process. Montenegro’s progress in the process of EU accession is a joint success of us here in Montenegro and in the Commission, Ambassador Pejović stressed. Along those lines he added that detailed and concrete reports with clear recommendations and guidelines provide significant support to Montenegro on its path towards EU membership.
Mr Pejović’s interlocutors noted that the Commission’s Report gives a realistic assessment of the state of affairs in the country and added that it notes the progress that has been made. They underlined that member-states will continue monitoring reforms and providing support to Montenegro’s efforts through concrete projects. In that regard, they voiced their expectation that Montenegro will continue making tangible results and meeting European commitments with the same pace and quality of work.