Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr. Suljo Mustafić, received today the Director for Montenegro, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia and Turkey at the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement, Ms. Alexandra Cas Granje. He pointed out the significant role of the Parliament of Montenegro in, as he noted, the next commitment period. Vice President Mustafić pointed out that the Montenegrin Parliament endeavoured to strengthen its capacities primarily through amendments to the Rules of Procedure, then its internal organisation, forming new working bodies such as Committee on European Integration and Committee on Anti-Corruption, but also through a set of amendments to the Rules of Procedure referring to passing of the opposition’s requests and promotion of the Prime Minister’s Hour. He added that the Rules of Procedure was adopted with the absolute consensus of the position and the opposition which, as he stated, proved that this was not just about declarative but also about real commitment of all subjects to the European integration. Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr. Suljo Mustafić, introduced his esteemed guests to the fact that the Law on Parliamentary Investigation was adopted in the same manner and then the agreement that chairpersons of the three important committees should be chosen from among the opposition was achieved.

Director for Montenegro, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia and Turkey at the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement, Ms. Alexandra Cas Granje congratulated on behalf of the Delegation on being elected as the Vice President and pointed out that, as she stated, they were aware of crucial and very active role of the Parliament of Montenegro in the process of legislative changes and adoption of European standards. She commended consensual adoption of the Rules of Procedure and announced soon reports of the new screening regarding Chapters 23 and 24, and said that she believed in the favourable result already in this week or the next. Ms. Cas Granje pointed out that Montenegro did excellent preparations for the screening and that it was especially important and happening for the first time that the civil sector was included in the process. To that end, she believed that it was possible for Montenegro to open and close Chapter 25 by the end of this year. A general assessment which she conveyed was that Montenegro has been working extremely well considering that the European legislation was voluminous and that a small country such as Montenegro knew how to do its part of the job in the best manner possible.

The interlocutors agreed that for the next period it was most important to focus on the fight against organised crime and corruption.