Đukanović: Montenegro brightest star in Balkans

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic says that Montenegro is the brightest spot in terms of EU integration in the region. “If we take a look at the dynamics of carrying out the tasks that the EU has set for us, we can see that Montenegro is the only country that has advanced steadily in the past couple of years, without any blockages or delays, achieving its European goals one step at a time”, Djukanovic told Slovenian daily Vecer. Djukanovic: Montenegro brightest star in Balkans Djukanovic pointed out that the National Program for Integration envisaged Montenegro meeting all its conditions for full EU membership between 2008 and 2012. “But, we don’t see time frames as a priority. Our priority is to embrace European standards and to attain a European quality of life for our citizens, and membership will come as a sort of a satisfying reward for the results we achieve” said Djukanovic. He expects the entire region to intensify the process of European integration. Djukanovic repeated that the Kosovo question should be addressed with special care because it was of the utmost importance for the entire region. “Montenegro, as a state with institutionalized ties with the EU, will follow its foreign policy accordingly. But, through good neighborly relations, we shall preserve our own stability and contribute to the stability of the region by expressing the necessary sensitivity for the particular problems our region is facing”, said Djukanovic. Meanwhile, senior Council of Europe (CoE) official Lluís Maria de Puig has said that only a year after its admission to the Council of Europe, Montenegro has made impressive progress, and will have no problems meeting European standards. After meeting with Montengrin Parliamentary Speaker Ranko Krivokapic, Puig said that Montenegro was on the right path. "Democracy is a great challenge for every country, but Montenegro will not have any serious obstacles in attaining the standards of the Council of Europe and the EU,” said Krivokapic in Strasbourg, where he was taking part at a conference of CoE member-states’ parliamentary speakers. He also said that Montenegro’s efforts had been highly rated, adding that he expected the country to soon become a member of the EU. "I am not saying that to trivialize everything this country needs to do, but to give added momentum to all the efforts that we’re investing, in order for the whole country to have confidence in what awaits us,” said the speaker. Krivokapic also talked to CoE Secretary-General Terry Davies and met with his Serbian, Albanian and Hungarian counterparts. Milo Djukanovic (FoNet, archive)

Đukanović: Montenegro brightest star in Balkans

Đukanović pointed out that the National Program for Integration envisaged Montenegro meeting all its conditions for full EU membership between 2008 and 2012.

“But, we don’t see time frames as a priority. Our priority is to embrace European standards and to attain a European quality of life for our citizens, and membership will come as a sort of a satisfying reward for the results we achieve” said Đukanovic.

He expects the entire region to intensify the process of European integration.

Đukanović repeated that the Kosovo question should be addressed with special care because it was of the utmost importance for the entire region.

“Montenegro, as a state with institutionalized ties with the EU, will follow its foreign policy accordingly. But, through good neighborly relations, we shall preserve our own stability and contribute to the stability of the region by expressing the necessary sensitivity for the particular problems our region is facing”, said Đukanović.

Meanwhile, senior Council of Europe (CoE) official Lluís Maria de Puig has said that only a year after its admission to the Council of Europe, Montenegro has made impressive progress, and will have no problems meeting European standards.

After meeting with Montengrin Parliamentary Speaker Ranko Krivokapić, Puig said that Montenegro was on the right path.

"Democracy is a great challenge for every country, but Montenegro will not have any serious obstacles in attaining the standards of the Council of Europe and the EU,” said Krivokapić in Strasbourg, where he was taking part at a conference of CoE member-states’ parliamentary speakers. He also said that Montenegro’s efforts had been highly rated, adding that he expected the country to soon become a member of the EU.

"I am not saying that to trivialize everything this country needs to do, but to give added momentum to all the efforts that we’re investing, in order for the whole country to have confidence in what awaits us,” said the speaker.

Krivokapić also talked to CoE Secretary-General Terry Davies and met with his Serbian, Albanian and Hungarian counterparts.