State Secretary for European Integration and Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Andrija Pejović spoke with members of the civil sector about Montenegro’s accession process to the EU. The talk was organised by the NGO Centre for Civic Education within the framework of the project “European Café”.
In an informal atmosphere the participants discussed, under the general theme “NGOs’ role and relevance in the EU accession process”, the achievements of 2014 and the challenges awaiting Montenegro in 2015; they also addressed the capabilities and limitations of NGOs in work groups in which negotiations are shaped, as well as the possibilities of co-financing NGO projects funded by EU programmes.
Daliborka Uljarević, CEO of the Centre for Civic Education, stated that the project “EU Café” aims at establishing an informal meeting place of social gathering and talks between representatives of the civil sector and decision-makers from Montenegro, EU, and member states on the accession process; she expects that these meetings will strengthen the dialogue on the process of Montenegro’s European integration.
Ambassador Pejović hailed the establishment of the “European Café” as a platform for quality exchange of opinions, taking on important questions about Montenegro’s accession to the EU, and working out together solutions and responses to potential challenges on the European road.
The Chief Negotiator recalled the achievements of 2014, focusing on the opening of nine chapters and the work on Chapters 23 and 24, the legislative reforms which were carried out, and the adaptation of action plans. When it came to cooperation with the civil society, the Chief Negotiator highlighted the importance of its involvement and its contribution to the formal negotiation structure by the knowledge and expertise of its representatives. He also emphasised the important contribution civil society representatives made to the proceedings of the Joint Advisory Committee of Montenegro and the European Economic and Social Committee. Ambassador Pejović hailed the proactive role played by NGO representatives in all work groups, stressing that their participation offered a new and fresh take on the process and thus enhanced the outcomes.
Re the EU funded programmes available to Montenegro from the IPA funds, the Chief Negotiator informed the participants on the possibilities of taking part in programmes available to Montenegro for the period of 2014-2020. With the aim of intensifying further cooperation with civil society organisation and including them in future IPA funded processes, ambassador Pejović exhorted all present to apply for the public call for inclusion of civil society representatives in the IPA programming process for 2014-2020, published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.
