Montenegrin institutions have achieved great progress during the last five years in prevention and fight against smuggling and illicit tobacco trade and are fully committed to implementation of further reforms, it was heard during the visit of the European Commission’s (EC) expert mission.
The final meeting of the EC expert mission on the subject of prevention and fight against smuggling and illicit tobacco trade took place today. The goal of the expert mission, that paid visit to Montenegro, was to provide assessment of the situation in this field from the viewpoint of the negotiation chapter 24 – Justice, freedom and security, and 29 – Customs union, as well as to gain an insight into the progress achieved in comparison to the last expert mission that took place in 2014. Visits were organized to the Port Bar and the free trade zone, as well as to the New Tobacco Plant.
The representatives of the Montenegrin institutions and the EC noted significant progress, in particular regarding cooperation between the Customs Administrating, Police and Prosecutor’s office.
Deputy Chief Negotiator Marko Mrdak emphasized the mission’s importance in terms of accession negotiations within chapter 24, concerning new EC approach which puts the rule of law in the center of negotiation process.
“Members of the Expert mission had an opportunity to see firsthand full commitment of the Montenegrin institutions in carrying out the reform activities in this field”, said Mrdak, adding that a better system will be built based on their recommendations.
The members of the expert mission praised the achieved progress during the period between the two missions and gave recommendations for improvement of the situation.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO
SECTOR FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE EU AND THE EU ACCESSION PROCESS
