"Montenegrin EU application blocked"

Montenegro's application for EU candidate status has been blocked in the EU Council of Ministers, Podgorica-based daily Vijesti reports on Thursday.

Izvor: FoNet

Thursday, 19.02.2009.

13:07

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Montenegro's application for EU candidate status has been blocked in the EU Council of Ministers, Podgorica-based daily Vijesti reports on Thursday. This took place before the European Commission even presented its opinion on the country's readiness to gain candidate status. "Montenegrin EU application blocked" Referring to information published by the EU press agency, Agence Europe, the daily says that several member states within the Enlargement Working Group, above all Holland, Spain, France and Belgium, object to the issue being shifted to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER), and then to the Council of Ministers. "We believe that Montenegro still has work to do, as was stated in the Commission’s last report, before her application can seriously be considered,“ said a diplomat from one of the aforesaid states. The paper states that Germany wants a postponement of the processing of Montenegro’s application because it believes that Podgorica has not fulfilled the required criteria, and that this might further instill fear of new EU enlargement among the public. The report adds that Belgium thinks that they should wait for the November review on Montenegrin progress, whereas Holland believes that Podgorica is not doing enough to combat corruption. Holland is very harsh on Serbia too and does not wish to be accused of unprincipled leniency towards Serbia’s neighbors. Vijesti’s sources stress that France insists on Montenegro’s application being approved to prevent a situation where, later, Albania and Serbia’s applications would have to be considered as a package, thus heightening European public opposition to further enlargement. Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen said on Wednesday that “application of undertaken commitments and standards on which European and Euro-Atlantic processes are based“ was much more important for Montenegro than “imposition of deadlines“, while Deputy Prime Minister Gordana Djurovic denied that the application had been blocked.

"Montenegrin EU application blocked"

Referring to information published by the EU press agency, Agence Europe, the daily says that several member states within the Enlargement Working Group, above all Holland, Spain, France and Belgium, object to the issue being shifted to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER), and then to the Council of Ministers.

"We believe that Montenegro still has work to do, as was stated in the Commission’s last report, before her application can seriously be considered,“ said a diplomat from one of the aforesaid states.

The paper states that Germany wants a postponement of the processing of Montenegro’s application because it believes that Podgorica has not fulfilled the required criteria, and that this might further instill fear of new EU enlargement among the public.

The report adds that Belgium thinks that they should wait for the November review on Montenegrin progress, whereas Holland believes that Podgorica is not doing enough to combat corruption. Holland is very harsh on Serbia too and does not wish to be accused of unprincipled leniency towards Serbia’s neighbors.

Vijesti’s sources stress that France insists on Montenegro’s application being approved to prevent a situation where, later, Albania and Serbia’s applications would have to be considered as a package, thus heightening European public opposition to further enlargement.

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Roćen said on Wednesday that “application of undertaken commitments and standards on which European and Euro-Atlantic processes are based“ was much more important for Montenegro than “imposition of deadlines“, while Deputy Prime Minister Gordana Đurović denied that the application had been blocked.

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