DPM Bečić meets with Slovenia’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Anžej Frangeš

Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić hosted Anžej Frangeš, Slovenia’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, as part of his farewell visit to Montenegro.

At the outset of the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Bečić expressed his sincere gratitude to Mr. Frangeš for his consistent and genuine support for Montenegro’s European path, as well as for his valuable efforts in strengthening the ties between the two friendly countries. He conveyed that wherever Mr. Frangeš's professional journey may lead him, he will always remain a close friend of Montenegro.

Bečić emphasized that Montenegro’s achievements are increasingly visible across all sectors, highlighting the unprecedented, determined efforts in the fight against illicit tobacco trade, drug trafficking, and all forms of organized crime. Montenegro is now recognized as a country firmly committed to the rule of law—not as one where institutions and senior officials are entangled with criminal networks. That era belongs to a difficult past, he stated.

Underscoring institutional reform, Deputy Prime Minister Bečić reiterated that the vetting process is one of the country's key priorities.

In the security and defence sectors, we are already seeing notable progress in strengthening integrity—with hundreds of suspensions, disciplinary procedures, dismissals, and arrests. Cleansing the system of compromised personnel and undue influence must be a coordinated effort by all institutions and branches of government. It is the foundation for a healthier and safer future for our country, he said.

In concluding their meeting, both parties agreed that Montenegro needs a pause from the frequent electoral cycles. They emphasized the importance of legislative amendments to consolidate local elections and align them with the regular parliamentary elections in 2027. This would allow the country's full institutional and societal capacity to focus over the next two years on closing the remaining EU negotiation chapters and seizing the historic opportunity to successfully complete the accession process.