Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit opens

Spajić: Montenegro is determined to turn its own progress into an opportunity for the entire region

Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić today opened the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit in Miločer, stressing that regional cooperation, economic integration and European integration are key prerequisites for the long-term stability, security and prosperity of the Western Balkans.

Welcoming the participants, including German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister Spajić thanked Germany for its continued support for the region’s European perspective, noting that twelve years after its launch, the Berlin Process reaffirms the fundamental idea of European integration: that lasting peace is built through shared achievements, cooperation and solidarity.

Enlargement is the reunification of our continent. It means extending freedom, security and opportunity to all Europeans whose place in our common European home has yet to be realised, Spajić said.

Reflecting on Montenegro’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process, the Prime Minister noted that 25 events had been organised throughout the year, 12 of them at ministerial level, with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and mutual trust and promoting European values.

He stressed that, during its chairmanship, Montenegro had placed the region’s shared interests ahead of narrow national priorities, guided by the conviction that the success of its neighbours also creates new opportunities for its own development.

Speaking about the tangible benefits of regional connectivity, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the Common Regional Market and the gradual integration of the region into the European Union’s Single Market. This should enable the faster movement of goods, mutual recognition of qualifications, easier business operations and access to new markets.

Closer economic ties with the European Union mean making European living standards attainable for families across our region. They mean that young people can build their careers here with confidence in their future, the Prime Minister stressed.

In this context, he emphasised the importance of economic reforms, strong institutions, fair competition and investment in education, infrastructure and clean energy as the foundations of long-term development and European security.

The Prime Minister said that Europe must demonstrate determination in its enlargement policy, just as it does in defending its fundamental values. He stressed that a credible, merit-based accession process grounded in results confirms the European Union’s ability to shape its own future.

Montenegro is determined to earn its place in the European Union through reforms and to turn its own progress into an opportunity for the entire region, Spajić said.

Addressing European security, the Prime Minister reiterated Montenegro’s firm support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that a just and lasting peace must be based on respect for international law and the principle that borders cannot be changed by force.

Concluding his opening address, the Prime Minister emphasised that Montenegro’s commitment to the Berlin Process would not end with its chairmanship. The country would continue to contribute to the continuity and strengthening of the initiative, with the ambition of soon doing so as a full member of the European Union.

We will carry our responsibility towards our neighbours into our membership of the European Union. May today’s meeting result in lasting commitments, stronger cooperation and the conviction that we can write the next chapter of Europe’s future together, Spajić concluded.