The Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, met with the French Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, René Troccaz.
“From all addresses within the European Union and its member states, we hear nothing but praise for Montenegro and what you have achieved over the past year. The efforts you are making and the results you have achieved are recognized, and we want to encourage you to continue,” Troccaz stated.
He added that he sees Montenegro as a frontrunner in the accession process and commended the involvement of the entire government in the negotiation process, with a structure of nearly 800 people working toward meeting the required benchmarks.
Special Envoy Troccaz also inquired about the status of Chapter 27 – Environment Protection, specifically regarding plans to fulfill the demanding criteria in this area.
Minister Gorčević noted that Montenegro is preparing for the Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels next week, where it hopes to close four chapters in which all benchmarks have been fully met.
She highlighted the government’s achievements in recent months, recalling three Intergovernmental Conferences, the positive Interim Benchmark Assesment Report for Chapters 23 and 24 (IBAR), the adoption of the Reform Agenda for the Western Balkans Growth Plan, and Montenegro’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).
“The progress we have made serves as motivation for other candidate countries, as it demonstrates that the enlargement process is still alive and that the EU is within our reach,” Gorčević said.
She emphasized that France’s support is of immense importance for Montenegro’s European path and that in the next two years, all expert assistance Montenegro can receive will be invaluable.