State Secretary for European Integration and Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Andrija Pejović held an informal meeting in Brussels with the Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the Union (COELA) and representatives of the European Commission.
The working group comprises member-states’ representatives, who are Montenegro’s key counterparts in the EU accession process that directly monitor and guide the course of the negotiation process.
Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Dirk Lange, Head of the Montenegro Unit at the European Commission’s DG NEAR, commended Montenegro’s progress in the accession talks. Progress made by Montenegro is proof that the enlargement policy works when there is a suitable political climate. Montenegro is a very good example in this regard, Lange has said.
Member-states’ representatives enquired about public support to EU accession in Montenegro, public administration reform, human resources development, and the future positioning and competitiveness of Montenegrin economy at the EU single market. They commended the steady progress in meeting the EU accession commitments and were expectant that future will bring more results in practice. In that context they voiced the member-states’ support for the continuation of the good pace of Montenegro’s EU accession.
Participants exchanged information on the course of accession talks, focusing on future activities in the areas of rule of law and economic governance. Ambassador Pejović informed his hosts of the progress that has been made, giving an overview of the 16 negotiating chapters that have been opened. He also gave an overview on the remaining chapters, noting Montenegro’s internal readiness to open seven more chapters this year. While talking about the rule of law, participants summed the conclusions of a recent Commission – Government meeting in Podgorica, and they exchanged opinions on the achievements that resulted from the innovated action plans for chapters 23 and 24.
Ambassador Pejović underlined that those chapters are the essence of the negotiating process, and in that context said they are a signpost for future accession activities. He spoke about the implemented activities from the action plans, noting that the legal framework is almost completed and that it is now necessary to ensure field results. In that sense, he said this year would be devoted to ensuring measurable results in practice, and especially creating the preconditions for establishment and operation of a Special State Prosecution and Anti-corruption Agency.
Participants also spoke about economic governance, and they exchanged opinions on the adoption of the first Economic Reform Plan 2015-017. Ambassador Pejović presented economic indicators and underlined that Montenegro’s fiscal policy is aimed at reducing expenditure and increasing infrastructure investment.
