Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević received today a delegation of the Committee on European Affairs of the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, presenting them with Montenegro’s achievements in the accession negotiations and noting that Montenegro is the only candidate country with 16 provisionally closed negotiating chapters and plans to close all remaining chapters by the end of this year.
“European integration is Montenegro’s absolute political priority and a process based on broad societal support. Our goal is not only to successfully conclude the negotiations, but also to build strong institutions that will be ready to assume all the rights and obligations of membership from the very first day,” Gorčević said.
The Minister emphasised that the Government, Parliament and judicial institutions are working in a coordinated manner to implement reforms, while maintaining intensive communication with the European Commission and Member States. She stressed that preserving the credibility of an enlargement policy based on individual merit is of particular importance for Montenegro, so that each candidate country can advance solely on the basis of the results it achieves.
“Successfully concluding Montenegro’s accession negotiations would provide strong confirmation that the European Union remains committed to an enlargement policy based on individual merit. That is why, alongside continuing the reforms, we will pay particular attention to strengthening communication with Member States and their institutions in order to present the results we are achieving on our European path,” Gorčević said.
The Minister highlighted the importance of the national parliaments of EU Member States in the final stage of the accession process, noting that they play a key role in ratifying the Accession Treaty, which represents the final step on Montenegro’s path to full membership of the European Union. She stressed that continuous dialogue with the parliaments of Member States is therefore of exceptional importance, so that the results achieved can be presented directly and confidence in Montenegro’s reform progress further strengthened.
On behalf of the delegation, Member of the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Sebastiaan Stoteler said that the purpose of the visit was for members of the Committee on European Affairs to gain a direct insight into Montenegro’s progress in the European Union accession process, engage in discussions with their Montenegrin counterparts, and share the knowledge gained with members of the Committee and the Parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The interlocutors agreed that continuing open political dialogue, regular exchange of information and strengthening cooperation with the parliaments of European Union Member States are of particular importance for further advancing Montenegro’s European integration process.