WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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In Montenegro, we have had a government that does not initiate reforms for a long time, but with a new government and a new minister of justice, we can see a scenario that could easily happen - namely, that by the beginning of next year, Montenegro will have a chance to meet the temporary criteria from Chapter 23 and the 24th.
These are the messages that our country could receive at the upcoming EU - Western Balkans Summit scheduled for December 13 in Brussels.
The European official, who spoke to journalists before the start of the summit, said that in the country we had a long time of stagnation and a government that did not initiate reforms.
The very fact that you did not have a minister of justice for almost two years is astonishing, because if you look at Montenegro, special attention was paid in the negotiation framework by the member states to the so-called reforms of the rule of law. Now, I think that with the government and the new minister of justice, you can easily see the following scenario - that by the beginning of next year, Montenegro could have a chance to meet the temporary benchmarks from Chapter 23 and Chapter 24 - said the EU official in response to Pobjeda's question whether our country will be offered something concrete at the upcoming summit, like a government conference where the chapter would be closed.
The Brussels diplomat says that meeting the temporary benchmarks is the key, and that this would mean that Montenegro could start closing chapters in negotiations with the EU.
So, I actually think that potentially in the next six months, Montenegro can be one of the real success stories that can bring positive momentum to the Western Balkans expansion agenda. And the key to this now lies in the hands of the new prime minister, the new president and the minister of justice. Therefore, let's implement those reforms and see that progress - said the interlocutor.
Another, with the remark that it would sound too optimistic, says that the process was at a standstill, but that the new government now has an opportunity that it should not miss.
Now is really an opportunity for the new government, as well as other political forces, to unite because, ultimately, the government cannot do it alone. All political forces must do this. We are here to help and to encourage and to support - said the EU official.
He also notes that holding an intergovernmental conference with Montenegro "is under consideration by the Council, due to the elements and arguments already mentioned".
When asked whether the appointments in the judiciary will be a sufficient reason for obtaining temporary benchmarks or if the EU expects something more, Brussels officials say that the temporary benchmarks cover a large number of different sectors.
In addition to the judiciary, you have temporary benchmarks related to basic rights, the fight against corruption, the fight against organized crime. But judicial appointments are key. Key positions in the judiciary have been vacant for too long - said the interlocutor.
He said that the EU received great help from the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, as he said, helped elect the judges of the Constitutional Court on behalf of the EU.
He notes that the appointments of the three missing members of the judicial council, as well as the president of the Supreme Court and the Supreme State Prosecutor, are on the agenda, adding that the election procedure needs to be based on merit and on a transparent procedure that ensures the proper functioning of the judiciary with independence, impartiality and integrity.
If Montenegro gets everything right, I think we can see a significant jump in the care of their integration process - they concluded.
The EU-Western Balkans summit will be held on December 13 in Brussels. In addition to the 27 EU member states, six partner countries of the Western Balkans were invited - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Montenegro will be represented by the country's president, Jakov Milatović.
Declaration
A few days before the Summit, the Draft Declaration that should be adopted at the end of the session was also leaked.
In the draft document, it is stated that alignment with EU policies is a clear sign of the partners' strategic orientation, now more than ever, in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and other security challenges, so Brussels will clearly ask the Western Balkan countries to fully align with the policy of sanctions against Russia.
A shared vision of the future includes shared values and shared responsibility. As we deepen our cooperation with partners, we call on them to make rapid and sustainable progress towards full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy, including EU restrictive measures, and to act accordingly," the draft declaration reads.
The text will praise the partners with of the Western Balkans, which already show their strategic commitment by fully aligning with the EU's foreign and security policy, and encourage "those who have not yet done so" to follow their example. This refers primarily to Serbia, which continues to resist imposing sanctions on Russia, while instead maintaining close ties with the regime in Moscow.
Summit participants from the region should also agree with this document.
POBJEDA
