Montenegro ready for EU membership, Hungarian FM says

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto states that Montenegro has demonstrated readiness for European Union membership

On Thursday, Montenegro expressed readiness to join the European Union, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

“The Hungarian government’s stance is clear: Montenegro is ready for EU membership,” said Szijjarto after meeting with his counterpart Filip Ivanovic during his visit to the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica.

At a joint press conference, Szijjarto said the EU faces economic and security problems, and new energy and dynamism from outside are needed.

“We believe that this new energy can come from the Western Balkans and assertive countries that are ready for such cooperation,” he said.

He said the EU enlargement process is progressing slowly for the Western Balkans, but one of Hungary’s priorities will be to accelerate it.

Ivanovic said Montenegro attaches importance to the support given by Hungary toward its EU membership.

He said, “Determination and the commitment to constructive dialogue resulted in the establishment and maintenance of political stability in the country.”

After declaring independence in 2006, Montenegro officially applied to join the EU on December 15, 2008 and received “candidate country” status on Dec. 17, 2010.

Montenegro started accession negotiations on June 29, 2012, and is expected to become the next member of the EU.

The country signed the first official document with NATO, the Partnership for Peace Framework Document, on Dec. 14, 2006, and became the 29th member of NATO on June 5, 2017.

Source: AA

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