Podgorica, (MINA) – Montenegro has demonstrated that it can fulfill its European obligations and become a credible EU member state, Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorcevic said, adding that the official Podgorica expects the Accession Treaty to be finalized during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

During her working visit to Lithuania, she pointed out that Montenegro was in the final phase of completing its reforms in order to close the remaining negotiation chapters by the end of the year.

“In the first half of next year, during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, we expect the Accession Treaty to be finalized”, Gorcevic said in Vilnius, where she met with Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigitas Mitkus and member of the Lithuanian Parliament, the Seimas, Remigius Motuzas.

According to the press release from the Ministry of European Affairs (MEA), Gorcevic exchanged views with her hosts on the final steps Montenegro was taking with the aim of closing all negotiation chapters by the end of the year, as well as the finalization of the Accession Treaty and the importance of public support for admission of new EU members.

She pointed out the importance of Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year and added that she expected the country to continue supporting Montenegro at the political, technical and institutional levels, especially in regard to the signing the Accession Treaty.

“We do not shy away from additional safeguards in the Accession Treaty, if they are clearly defined, legally predictable and based on objective criteria. What we insist on is full membership, with equal rights, obligations and a voice as any other EU member state”, said Gorcevic.

Mitkus said that Lithuania strongly supported Montenegro’s EU aspirations and had repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to share its own experience in the EU integration process.

“He also expressed the expectation that the work on drafting the Accession Treaty would go as planned, adding that during its presidency of the Council of the EU, Lithuania would be ready to support Montenegro in the next steps, including when the conditions for finalizing the Agreement are met”, the press release reads.

The MEA said that the members of the Lithuanian Parliament confirmed that Montenegro could count on the strong support of the Seimas in the final phase of its European journey, stressing their readiness to contribute through parliamentary cooperation to the process leading to full membership.