WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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SOURCE: POBJEDA / M.J.
Montenegro will have a ready negotiation structure to, after obtaining the final benchmarks in chapters 23 and 24, start a new phase of negotiations with the European Union (EU), said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.
She recalled that the Government passed the Decision on the establishment of a negotiation structure and appointed the chief negotiator, as well as that at the end of December they invited non-governmental organizations to propose their representatives as members of working groups for 33 negotiation chapters.
In an interview with the MINA agency, Gorčević said that now the negotiation team will be completed and the heads of the negotiation working groups will be appointed.
"I believe that already in the first quarter of this year we can have a rounded and functional negotiation structure ready to, together with the chief negotiator and the Ministry of European Affairs (MEP), begin intensive work on implementing obligations from the European agenda," Gorčević said.
As she said, changes in the negotiation structure imply strengthening in the personal sense, but also in the part of improving the coordination of the process.
"Personal empowerment implies that, along with the effort to keep all those people who are already part of it and who contribute to the work of the working groups, we will open up space for the inclusion of experts from various fields who come from civil society, the academic and business community," stated Gorčević. .
She pointed out that for the next phase of negotiations, when concrete results and solutions are expected from Montenegro, the state must have efficient institutions, professional staff and developed expertise in all areas of negotiations.
"That's why we will pay special attention to improving existing knowledge and skills and building new ones, through the use of support from experts from the EU and member states," Gorčević said.
She said that, in that part, it is particularly important to restore the position of the chief negotiator, who, as she stated, will significantly contribute to the dynamics and quality of work of the negotiation structure and the entire process with expert references.
"When it comes to improving coordination, the MEP, together with the chief negotiator, will work to ensure that the working groups are more efficient in their work, that the meetings of all working bodies within the negotiation structure are regular, and that their results are concrete and visible," she said. Gorcevic.
Asked when she expects Montenegro to receive the final benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24, Gorčević said that the MEP is collecting information on the degree of realization of all temporary benchmarks and that after the consolidation of the data, she will prepare a report on their fulfillment.
"As you know, the Government has determined the area of the rule of law as its priority in work, and it is good that already at the beginning of the mandate we had the opportunity to see the results of the commitment and determination of the Government and the Assembly in that field, primarily through appointments in the judiciary," she said. Gorcevic.
As she said, the government's plan is that this year, especially during the first six months, they will continue fulfilling their obligations even more intensively, in accordance with the recommendations from the latest European Commission (EC) report.
"Thus, we would acquire the conditions to obtain the final benchmarks in chapters 23 and 24, and move into a new phase of negotiations, which will mean the temporary closure of the remaining negotiation chapters where the final benchmarks have already been met and internal readiness for membership has been reached," stated Gorčević.
She said that, in parallel with the work on chapters 23 and 24, they are working diligently to implement obligations in all other areas.
"In some of them, we have met or are very close to meeting the final criteria defined by the EC, and in this way we qualify for their temporary closure," said Gorčević.
As she said, the chapters most ready for temporary closure are chapter five - Public Procurement, six - Commercial Law, seven - Intellectual Property Law and 20 - Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship.
"My expectation is that these will be the first chapters that we will close this year, and after that, through more intensive work on reforms, we will accelerate the closing of other negotiation chapters as well," Gorčević added.
Asked whether the intergovernmental conference between Montenegro and the EU will be held in January, Gorčević said that European partners have announced the possibility of holding an intergovernmental conference in the first quarter of this year.
"That event, after more than two years since the previous intergovernmental conference, would be a sign of additional support to the Government for the extensive reforms that lie ahead, but also praise for the initial results we showed in the first two months of the mandate," Gorčević believes.
Speaking about appointments in the judiciary, she emphasized that these appointments are key to unblocking the judicial system and are a prerequisite for further progress in the rule of law.
According to Gorčević, the election of the seventh judge of the Constitutional Court and three members of the Judicial Council are initial but very important developments, after a long period of stagnation in that field.
She pointed out that now from Montenegro expects the election of the Supreme State Prosecutor (VDT) and the President of the Supreme Court, stating that he hopes that it will be completed in the first months of this year, so that finally all judicial functions will leave the acting conditions and began to function at full capacity.
"Certainly this is not the end of judicial reforms, because we have further work to do in the direction of strengthening responsibility and independence, as the EC pointed out to us in its last report," Gorčević added.
As she stated, the strengthening of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption is to come, as well as measurable results in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
Gorčević pointed out that these are the areas defined by the Government as priorities and which will be the focus of their work this year.
"If we manage to achieve the ambitious but realistic deadlines we have set ourselves in the field of the rule of law, which I have no doubt about given the clear commitment and determination of the Government, we can expect to finally step into the last phase of negotiations this year and start closing the negotiation chapters , which is our goal," said Gorčević.
When asked about MEP's priorities for this year, she said that the plans of that government department are directed in several directions.
As Gorčević added, in cooperation with the negotiating working groups, they are preparing an Action Plan for addressing the recommendations from the EC Report, which will be the road map for this year.
She pointed out that it will be their road map in chapters 23 and 24, where they expect to obtain the final benchmarks, but also in other chapters where they expect the completion of reform processes aimed at fulfilling all obligations and reaching internal readiness for membership.
"On that line, the MEP initiated the preparation of the new Montenegro EU Accession Program 2024-2025 at the beginning of December, the umbrella strategic document of the European integration process of Montenegro that defines the scope and dynamics of reforms along the way," said Gorčević.
She explained that the goal of that document is the strategic orientation of the process of European integration of Montenegro towards achieving further harmonization of domestic legislation with the acquis of the EU.
"The second important segment of our work will include rounding off the negotiation structure, so that it will be able to respond in the best and most efficient way to the obligations from the next, more advanced phase of the accession process," Gorčević pointed out.
As she stated, after the appointment of the chief negotiator, the appointment of negotiators for six clusters follows, as well as the completion of all working groups.
"I believe that after that, we will systematically and in the long term improve the process of coordination of accession negotiations at the operational level and be able to successfully come to grips with the upcoming obligations," said Gorčević.
She emphasized that the third segment of the Ministry's work will be focused on continuing to successfully attract funds from available EU funds, programs and initiatives.
According to Gorčević, in that part they will be especially dedicated to the coordination of obligations aimed at implementing the Reform Agenda for the withdrawal of funds from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
She said that the fourth, equally important direction of the MEP's work refers to the intensification of cooperation and the inclusion of all segments of society, from local self-governments, through civil society, the academic and business community, in the process of informing citizens about the European integration of Montenegro.
"Our agenda this year is extensive and demanding, but I believe that with a good approach, quality planning and effective implementation of the set goals, with the unequivocal commitment and determination of the Government to fulfill its obligations from the European integration process, we can achieve the desired goals and make a decisive step forward in approaching membership in the EU", said Gorčević.
