Gorčević and Domingos: Montenegro has Portugal’s full support on its path to the EU

Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević met today in Podgorica with Inês Domingos, Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal. During the meeting, strong support from Portugal for Montenegro’s European future was confirmed, along with the assessment that enlargement policy represents an important strategic step toward strengthening both the European Union and candidate countries.

“Political support from member states is key to maintaining trust in the enlargement process. The results Montenegro is achieving, including progress in closing negotiation chapters, show that we are ready to take on the obligations that come with our country’s membership in the European Union,” Minister Gorčević said.

Secretary of State Domingos emphasized that Montenegro has Portugal’s full support on its path toward EU membership.

“Portugal remains a strong and consistent advocate of enlargement policy, as we believe it strengthens both the European Union and the countries joining it. Montenegro has our full support on its path to membership, including the next steps in preparing the Accession Treaty,” Domingos stated.

The interlocutors exchanged views on opportunities for further strengthening cooperation, particularly in the areas of healthcare, the maritime sector, and the development of advanced technologies. They also discussed potential technical support from Portugal in the energy sector and strengthening the resilience of the energy system.

Additionally, the interlocutors pointed to the importance of strengthening resilience to hybrid threats and combating disinformation. The importance of the European Democracy Shield initiative was highlighted as an important mechanism for protecting democratic processes, as well as the need for continuous public information on all aspects of European integration.

The interlocutors concluded that there is significant room for further deepening cooperation and exchanging experiences, with a shared assessment that Montenegro’s European perspective is important both for the stability of the region and for the overall strength of the European Union.