President of the Parliament of Montenegro and President Emeritus of the OSCE PA Mr Ranko Krivokapić has co-chaired the IX Meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, which ended in Brussels. Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro is also composed of: Slaven Radunović, Milutin Simović, Obrad Stanišić, Mevludin Nuhodžić, Nada Drobnjak, Damir Šehović, Predrag Bulatović, Danko Šarančić, Darko Pajović and Azra Jasavić.          

The IX Meeting of European Union - Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC), co-chaired by President of the Parliament of Montenegro and President Emeritus of the OSCE PA Mr Ranko Krivokapić, ended in Brussels today. The meeting was marked by the adoption of the Joint Declaration with Recommendations, and participation of members of the Parliament of Montenegro in the meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and MP of parliaments of European Union members states, where they shared views with ministers of foreign affairs of Western Balkans countries and representative of the Directorate General for Enlargement on the topic of the progress of the region in the accession process to the European Union.

SAPC Declaration, adopted by a majority of votes of Montenegrin MPs and unanimously by European MPs, welcomes the progress in negotiations, especially emphasizing the participation of civil sector for the purpose of the overall inclusiveness of the process. However, they emphasised that there was need for additional efforts in order to ensure the efficient implementation of action plans, particularly in fields covered by chapters 23 and 24. Additionally, they emphasised the further strengthening of administrative capacities of the Parliament of Montenegro, enhancement of regional cooperation, and its constructive role in maintaining the regional stability.

Ms Mairead Mc Guinness, Vice President of the European Parliament, also attended today's SAPC meeting.

At the meeting of European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, within the discussion on the progress of the region in the process of joining the European Union, the importance of regional cooperation was emphasises, and the are the rule of law, economic governance and public administration were stresses as priority areas for implementation of reforms. Montenegro was emphasised as a leader in the region in the process of European integration, and her contribution to stabilisation of the region was particularly emphasised.  

At today's meeting of the AFET, European parliamentarians were addressed by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro and President Emeritus of the OSCE PA Mr Ranko Krivokapić, who stated the importance of parliaments’ role in the maintenance of reforms and improvement of all social aspects. “European Union is a lighthouse of the region, and without it, the Western Balkan countries would be ships sailing with no landmark. For them, EU means more justice, more security and trust that state institutions can deal with challenges of transition”, Mr Krivokapić emphasised.

European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs is responsible for promotion, implementation and overseeing of foreign policy of the Union, exercises political control and coordinates the work of joint parliamentary committees, parliamentary committees for cooperation, inter-parliamentary delegations and ad hoc delegations from under its jurisdiction.

DECLARATION and RECOMMENDATIONS