From the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference, Montenegro received great support and a positive impulse from all member states towards the EU future of our country, announced the Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the European Union, Predrag Zenović. In the program “Focus” on the Public Broadcasting Service Television of Montenegro, he pointed out that the political climate towards Montenegro is now significantly different.
Zenović also assessed that the “wind at the back” has arrived because Montenegro harmonized its foreign and security policy with the European Union. He emphasized that the focus is now on chapters 23 and 24, institutions and public administration.
“It is a fundamental area. The goal is to form a negotiation structure, to start intensively addressing the benchmarks for chapters 23 and 24 and potentially closing the chapter,” added the chief negotiator.
When asked how to accelerate the EU path, Zenović answered:
“The plan is clear. We have over 80 benchmarks under Chapters 23 and 24. Of these, over 50 have been addressed and we believe that number is now even higher. We have a clear road map to address the requirements and obtain the Commission’s report on the fulfillment of the interim benchmarks and the closing benchmarks for chapters 23 and 24 in the summer ahead.”
Zenović believes that the next Intergovernmental Conference could be held by the end of June.
“The Belgian government is encouraging the idea of holding another conference during their mandate, which could be an indicator that it will be an opportunity to finalize IBAR and, for Montenegro, to begin a new phase and procedure of closing the chapters at the end of the year,” he said.
The European elections are scheduled for the beginning of June.
“It seems to me that it is important for the European Commission to finalize that process with a successful story, and it seems to me that it can be an affirmative step for both, Montenegro and Brussels,” Zenović concluded.
