The process of European integration is not a passing political decision, but a choice of generations that shapes our society, Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević said at the panel “EU enlargement: a new geopolitical urgency” organized by the Friends of Europe Institute in Brussels.
“Coming from a generation that strongly believes in the idea of a European Montenegro and the European region of the Western Balkans, I will strongly advocate for the implementation of all necessary reforms to achieve the long-standing desire of our citizens – a European standard of living and membership in the EU,” said Gorčević and added that there is a new energy in Montenegro that goes in the direction of speeding up accession negotiations with the EU.
Gorčević emphasized that Montenegro is the most suitable candidate for the next EU member state and that the Government will direct all its resources and capacities, both in the political and technical sense, to meet all the criteria for EU accession by the end of its mandate. However, she said that it is important for the EU itself to be more present in the region and accelerate its full integration.
“We started our mandate dealing with the most sensitive issues, which over time became a big stumbling block not only for the EU accession process but also for the democratic functioning of the country. Gaining the necessary two-thirds majority in the parliament, we completed the Constitutional Court after three years, and showed that the most challenging decisions are possible through dialogue”, said Gorčević.
She said that in the upcoming months, the focus will be on the appointment of key figures in the judiciary and that strengthening the judiciary is not only about meeting the criteria in the EU accession negotiations but also about providing a solid framework that convinces individuals, companies, and institutions that their rights and obligations are firmly defined and protected.
Speaking about the global context, with an emphasis on Russian aggression against Ukraine, the minister emphasized that fulfilling obligations from the EU accession process is the most comprehensive and effective means of strengthening resistance to malignant influences, and said that reform efforts must be accompanied by strong political support from Western democracies.
In this context, she welcomed the launch of the instrument New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which, as she said, represents a strong mechanism for reforms in the region to take place in the right direction.
