On Tuesday 20 June, Montenegro opened two new EU accession negotiation chapters – Chapter 1 on the free movement of goods and Chapter 22 on regional policy and the coordination of structural instruments. Chapter 30, on external relations, which was opened in March 2015 (see EUROPE 11285), has been provisionally closed. With these new chapters, Podgorica has now opened 28 of the 35 negotiation chapters since the start of negotiations in June 2012, and has provisionally closed three.
"Montenegro has made considerable progress", Maltese minister Helena Dalli stated on behalf of the EU Council Presidency at the end of the accession conference and 9th EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council in Luxembourg. "This result shows how much the government of Montenegro is committed to moving forward in the accession process as one of its strategic priorities", she added.
The minister for European Affairs, Andrija Pejovic, said that this was "the start of a new page in the accession process". "We have chosen the European perspective. It is a one-way street for us", he said, adding that progress linked to merit was an incentive for continuing reforms.
Dalli and the European Commission director general of Directorate-General Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Christian Danielsson, called on the country to continue its efforts, particularly in the area of rule of law, reform of the administration and budget reform. He also stated that the process should be inclusive, be it with regard to civil society or political parties, and reiterated that the opposition's boycott of the parliament ran counter to the reform process. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)