Podgorica, (MINA) – Hungary finds that Montenegro is ready for the membership in the EU and that it can close ten negotiation chapters during the Hungary’s presidency over the Council of Europe, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijjarto.

Speaking at the press conference in Budapest, following the meeting with Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro Maida Gorcevic, he underscored that the plan is to organize the Intergovernmental conference by the end of December in order to close ten negotiation chapters.

Thus, according to Szijjarto, this would give a new momentum to Montenegro’s EU accession.

“We need to restore trust in the EU enlargement process, and the requirements that the candidates must meet are clearly defined. The results of one country cannot be compared with another, rather a merit-based principle must be applied in regard to new candidate countries”, said Szijjarto.

He adds that the EU needs new momentum and new energy which can be sourced either from the EU elections or the enlargement to the Western Balkans.

Szijjarto remarked that the EU needs the Western Balkans more than the Western Balkans needs the membership in the Union.

“The enlargement to the Western Balkans is in the interest of the EU and thus it is unacceptable that the process of their integration is so slow, as the credibility of the whole process is being challenged”, said he.

Gorcevic announced that Montenegro can start closing the chapters, following receiving the IBAR in June and during the Hungary’s presidency.

“We will work diligently on this goal and I hope that we will succeed to close up to ten chapters by the end of the year, which will be an incentive to Montenegro and prove that the EU is truly advocating for the enlargement to the Western Balkans”, said Gorcevic.

She said that the benefits that Montenegro has from the EU accession process and those it will yet to have from membership are immeasurable, adding that Montenegro also has much to offer to the Union.