Members of the Committee on European Integration held a meeting with Mr Christian Danielson, Director General of the Directorate General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission. The meeting was also attended by Mr Dirk Lange, Head of Unit for Montenegro at the EC Directorate General, H.E. Mr Mitja Drobnič, Head of the European Union Delegation to Montenegro as well as Mr Alberto Cammarata, Head of Political, European Integration and Trade Section in EU Delegation.

Members of the Committee expressed various positions on the level of Montenegro’s progress in the process of implementation of reforms, particularly when it comes to political will for fight against corruption and organised crime and results of work of prosecutorial and judicial bodies. Additionally, they discussed the importance of improving transport of energetic infrastructure and free movement of citizens in the whole region, and in that sense the help of the European Union was assessed as extremely important for the purpose of using the potential of the region and improving the quality of citizens’ life.

Mr Christian Danielson, Director General of the Directorate General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, said that at the accession path to Montenegro there were three main challenges: the rule of law including the effective fight against organised crime and corruption, implementation of the law, reform of the judiciary, enhancement of the freedom of expression and protection of minority rights, effective functioning and reform of public administration, as well as economic reforms, comprising strengthening of competition, good management and harmonisation of educational system with the labour market.

It was emphasised, at the meeting, that the assessment of Montenegro’s progress in the said fields will be given through the annual Progress Report on Montenegro by the European Commission, which is to be published in October.

On behalf of the Committee on European Integration, the meeting was attended by: Chairperson of the Committee Mr Slaven Radunović and members Mr Obrad Mišo Stanišić, Mr Predrag Sekulić, Ms Nada Drobnjak, Mr Koča Pavlović, Mr Predrag Bulatović, Mr Genci Nimanbegu and Ms Azra Jasavić.