Podgorica, (MINA) – Montenegro has a historic opportunity to join the EU, European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has said, adding that the best way to progress on the EU path is for the opposition to join and support all reforms.
Speaking at the press conference following the meeting with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, Kos said that Montenegro had no time to waste.
She remarked that this year in Montenegro began with a tragic event in Cetinje and sent her condolences to the families and friends of the killed and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.
Kos stated that the merit-based principle was important to her and that it was why she came to the country which was a front-runner in the EU accession process, adding that she also came to offer her encouragement to Montenegro to work even harder to meet its goals and close the 25 chapters by 2026.
“The window of opportunity for Montenegro has opened. Montenegro has a realistic chance to conclude negotiating process during my mandate, and to achieve this, we will accelerate our work,” said Kos.
She said that the entire society was to invest efforts to successfully close the accession process.
“Windows of opportunities open and close. Montenegro has a historic chance and no time to waste, I count on you to make me proud”, said Kos.
Answering a journalist’s question about the opposition’s boycott of the parliament, Kos reiterated that the entire society, both the government and the opposition, needed to invest effort for a successful accession process.
“The best way to progress on the EU path is to involve the opposition and support all reforms. I can understand that there are sometimes different opinions on different subjects, but this is what the parliament is, the place to discuss those differences”, said Kos.
Commenting on the allegations by some EU parliamentarians that the government was not pro-European, due to certain pro-Russian constituents in it, Kos said that it was important for Brussels how the Government and the Parliament act.
“Until now they have been acting in the way that makes Montenegro a frontrunner in the whole negotiating process. It is very important for us that Montenegro clearly stays on the EU path. I trust the people of Montenegro that they will also help the Government and the Parliament to come to what they want and this the EU membership”, said Kos.
Commenting on the protests of the informal student group “Kamo Sjutra”, she said that the EU supported the values represented by freedom of expression and assembly and emphasized the importance of the well-functioning of the civil society.
Spajic said that Kos’s visit to Montenegro was a positive signal and a strong impetus for the Government to accelerate and intensify reforms.
He remarked that it was not easy to be in Montenegro’s position, which is planning to close 25 chapters by 2026, adding that it was not impossible, but very ambitious.
Addressing the possibility of an opposition boycott of the January 21 Parliament session, he said that he deeply regreted such a decision.
“Our offer is sincere and free of any hidden agenda. We want the opposition to fully work with us. We are open to discussing everything and I think that there are no insurmountable obstacles to cooperate”, Spajic said. He added that everyone should focus on the shared objective, which is Montenegro’s EU membership.
