On Thursday 23 June, the European Parliament called for further reforms in Montenegro, in particular electoral and judicial reforms, and its fight against organised crime and corruption.
In the report by Tonino Picula (S&D, Croatia), which was adopted with 506 votes in favour, 50 against and 35 abstentions, MEPs regret that since 2017, the country has opened 33 chapters of accession negotiations, but has not closed any.
The European Parliament highlights that the political commitment of all parties and the proper functioning of parliamentary democracy are indispensable for the reforms linked to the Union. It therefore calls for a constructive and inclusive political dialogue between all parliamentary parties in Montenegro, to overcome the current polarised political climate.
MEPs also underline their concerns about the increase in disinformation campaigns and cyber and hybrid threats, including from Russia and China. They call on the authorities to take concrete steps to strengthen the country’s resilience and cyber security.
Noting that foreign interference can also be pursued through the “instrumentalisation of religious institutes”, the European Parliament also calls for religious tolerance.
The European Parliament also welcomes the country's constructive role in regional cooperation and its full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including its condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its full support for the latest EU sanctions against Russia.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/2a4 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)