At today’s meeting, the Committee unanimously elected the MP Zoran Srzentić as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration.

In addition to that, the Committee members, with the Ambassador Aleksandar Andrija Pejović, State Secretary and Chief Negotiator for Negotiations on Accession of Montenegro to the EU, considered the 33rd and 34th Quarterly Report on the overall activities in the framework of the EU Stabilization and Association Process. The Ambassador Pejović presented the information on EU Assistance Programmes, as well as Strategy on informing the public on the European Union and preparations of Montenegro for membership in the period 2014-2018, which was adopted at the meeting of the Government in March of the current year. 

It has been assessed at the meeting that the quarterly reports did not sufficiently take into account the activities of the Committee on European Integration, which would be amended in the new form of quarterly reporting. With that regard, it was agreed to establish a new reporting system, which would include the activities of the Committee on European Integration through regular submission of reports on actions of the Committee to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration immediately before the reporting period. That is especially important in the current moment of introducing certain novelties into the very form of reporting on the overall activities, but also the moment of increased activities of this working body of the Parliament in the overall integration process.

Within presenting the information on pre-accession assistance, it has been pointed out that, in addition to transborder cooperation, the opportunities are open for trilateral programmes in which Montenegro participates, not only with acceding countries, but also with EU member states. Mr Pejović commended the fact that countries in the region are focused on joint action with regard to providing as much as possible project implementation funds. The need for this funds will be especially visible in the later state of negotiations, when the work on opening the so-called expensive chapters is intensified, dealing with the issues of environmental protection, food safety etc.   

With regard to the Strategy on informing the public on the European Union and preparations of Montenegro for membership in the period 2014-2018, Mr Pejović said that this document had been done based on the experiences of other countries, with a view to bringing Montenegro’s accession process closer to its citizens. The Strategy’s implementation will be followed by adoption of action plans, in which the Committee on European Integration will play an important role.