Brussels, 03/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Montenegro, which was given official applicant country status by the European Council of December 2010, will have to continue its reforms if it wants a date for opening accession negotiations, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said after a meeting with the new Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Lukšiæ, in Brussels on Thursday 3 March. “In particular, I refer to the fight against corruption and organised crime, the rule of law, the freedom of the media, the situation of displaced persons and electoral law”, Van Rompuy told press. All these reforms represent “significant challenges” for Montenegro, “and there are no shortcuts” on the way to opening accession talks, he stated. Lukšiæ also met European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. (H.B./transl.rt)