At the end of their meeting on Tuesday 5 June (see EUROPE 12022), Montenegro's President Milo Đukanović and European Council President Donald Tusk reaffirmed the European perspective of both Montenegro and the whole Western Balkans region.
Tusk pointed out the symbolic choice of Brussels as Đukanović's first official destination abroad. "It is another confirmation that the European and Euro-Atlantic direction of Montenegro is beyond any doubt", he said.
During their meeting, Đukanović informed Tusk of the results of the presidential and local elections in Montenegro which, in his view, show that "Montenegro is committed to continuing on the European path and to adopting European values".
Nevertheless, Tusk mentioned some institutional weaknesses during these elections in Montenegro, and called on Đukanović to fulfil all the recommendations on holding elections made by the international observers (see EUROPE 12003).
Tusk said that solid progress in the rule of law and the fight against corruption and organised crime, as well as freedom of the press and of civil society, are essential for Montenegro's accession to the EU.
"Today more than ever, we need not only political declarations but also concrete actions", Tusk stated. (Original version in French by Carmen García)