Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević had separate meetings today with the ambassadors of Kosovo and North Macedonia, Ariana Zherka Hoxha and Zećir Ramčilović.
Minister Gorčević said that nurturing good neighborly relations, based on mutual trust and the absence of open issues, along with active support in the process of realizing the European future of the region, represents an important foreign policy priority of the Government of Montenegro.
“Montenegro, as the most advanced in the EU accession process, will continue to provide political and expert support to friends from Kosovo and North Macedonia to intensify reform processes on the way to the EU and further economic and overall development of the region,” said Gorčević.
She expressed the expectation that the application of visa liberalization with Kosovo will begin on January 1st, which will complete the opening of EU borders towards the Western Balkans.
Kosovo Ambassador Hoxha congratulated Minister Gorčević on her appointment and wished the Government success in conducting accession negotiations with the EU. She expressed the need for intensifying the exchange of knowledge and experience from the process of European integration, as well as deepening cooperation within the use of EU funds. She assessed that the European integration of the region is the best way to guarantee stability and development prospects for the countries of the Western Balkans.
The Ambassador of North Macedonia, Zećir Ramčilović, thanked for the previous support that Montenegro has provided to North Macedonia in the EU accession process. He pointed out that Montenegro and Macedonia must intensify cooperation in the field of European integration, with a special emphasis on designing joint projects for which funds from EU funds can be obtained.