“Apart from appointments in the judiciary, we are aware that it is necessary to complete the remaining reform processes in the area of the judiciary, to additionally dedicate ourselves to the consolidation of results in the area of the fight against corruption and organized crime, and to improve the entire media environment where we have already made progress by drafting three main laws in this area the adoption of which is expected soon, said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.
Today, together with Chief negotiator Predrag Zenović, she had a meeting with the Head of Unit D2 for Montenegro and Serbia in the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Michael Miller and his team.
Gorčević said that Montenegro wants to progress in accordance with the achieved results. She expressed her belief that, bearing in mind the determination and strong commitment of the Assembly and the Government, demonstrated through past achievements, the geopolitical situation, the significant support of the citizens of Montenegro, as well as full compliance with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, Montenegro is on an excellent path to becomes the next EU member.
When it comes to reforms in the area of the rule of law, the minister said that the Government’s ambition is to fulfill the obligations arising from the remaining temporary benchmarks in chapters 23 and 24 by the summer, which, as she said, would open a new perspective and enable Montenegro to enter in the phase of temporary closure of all negotiation chapters.
“Our consideration is that most of the temporary benchmarks have already been met, and that in the coming months we will manage to fulfill the remaining obligations, particularly those related to the adoption of main reform laws,” said Gorčević.
The minister thanked for the support of the European Commission and EU member states, shown during the recently held Intergovernmental Conference. In this context, she emphasized that the EU’s support, through the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, will be an effective mechanism for intensifying the reforms needed to accelerate the path towards membership and ensure overall progress.
The head of Unit D2 for Montenegro and Serbia in the General Directorate for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Michael Miller, said that Montenegro must finalize the work on fulfilling the temporary benchmarks in chapters 23 and 24 in a short period of time to obtain the conditions for getting closing benchmarks in these chapters and to start the process of temporarily closing all other chapters. He said that the European Commission will provide all necessary expert, technical and financial assistance in implementing main reforms and accelerating the accession process.