The Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, and the Director for the Western Balkans in the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Valentina Superti, officially opened the regional conference “Empower. Integrate. Grow.” in Budva this evening.
“For the citizens of Montenegro, as well as the region, membership in the European Union is not just a political goal – it is a promise of a better life, dignified jobs, quality infrastructure, and, above all, stability and security. Our government is fully dedicated to this goal. The recent closure of three negotiation chapters is not only a success – it is a signal that our goal of becoming an EU member by 2028 is achievable,” said Gorčević.
Reflecting on global changes and the unpredictability of the times we live in, she emphasized that through cooperation and economic connectivity between Western Balkan countries, these challenges can be overcome and solid foundations for the future can be built.
“With the enormous dedication of our team and the support of the European Commission, we managed to adopt the Reform Agenda in record time. I am proud that, less than a year after the summits in Skopje and Tirana, we have already started the first reforms and expect the first funds from the Growth Plan soon,” said Minister Gorčević.
She added that the success of the Growth Plan depends on the Western Balkan countries and their ability to overcome political differences and work together. “For Montenegro, as well as for the entire region, broad consensus is necessary – among politicians, institutions, and society as a whole. Without this, reforms will remain just ideas on paper, rather than a reality that changes lives,” she concluded.
Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans, praised Montenegro for its efforts to prioritize and accelerate concrete EU-related reforms, while maintaining a strong focus on the foundations of the accession process. She pointed out that today’s conference on regional economic integration, under the slogan “Empower. Integrate. Grow,” clearly shows how the Growth Plan is closely linked to the EU accession process.
“Empowerment – meaning all actors should embrace the European project that will bring direct benefits to their work; Integration – because integration within the region and with the EU brings benefits even before accession, as well as a stimulus for faster alignment, which will, in turn, accelerate formal accession negotiations; and Growth – because the development incentives through the Growth Plan will not only bring tangible benefits to citizens but will also provide resources to speed up the accession process,” stated Superti.
The conference dedicated to regional economic integration gathered policymakers, EU officials, business leaders, and experts to jointly analyze achievements in enhancing regional trade and highlight the next steps toward deeper integration with the EU Single Market.
This event provided an opportunity to discuss the implementation of reform agendas, which foresee socio-economic and structural reforms planned for the 2024–2027 period within the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as well as to present success stories and discuss the role of regional partnerships in supporting the European integration process.
The conference is organized by GIZ Open Regional Fund for Southeast Europe – Foreign Trade, financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in cooperation with the Ministry of European Affairs.