Gorčević with Co-Rapporteurs of the Council of Europe: The Ultimate Goal of the European Path is Improving Citizens’ Quality of Life

Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević today received a delegation of co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, consisting of Liliana Tanguy (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) and Damien Cesselin (Secretary of the Monitoring Committee).

The co-rapporteurs of the Council of Europe are on a post-monitoring mission in Montenegro, within which they assess further progress in the implementation of reforms in the areas of judicial independence, the electoral process, the fight against corruption and organised crime, media freedom, and human rights.

The Minister stated that the visit of the Council of Europe co-rapporteurs comes at an important moment for Montenegro, as the country is intensively implementing reforms at all levels with a clear goal of closing negotiating chapters by the end of 2026 and becoming the 28th Member State of the European Union by 2028.

“Montenegro remains a credible and reliable international partner, firmly committed to strengthening the rule of law, the protection of human rights, democratic institutions and European values, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of all citizens,” Gorčević said.

She stressed that the recommendations and standards of the Council of Europe represent an important benchmark for further improvement of the legislative and institutional framework, and underlined the importance of Montenegro’s upcoming chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from November 2026 to May 2027, which will represent confirmation of the country’s institutional maturity and its ability to successfully lead complex international processes.

The co-rapporteurs stated that they are monitoring Montenegro’s progress in the EU accession process and welcomed the recently held EU–Western Balkans Summit hosted by Montenegro. They expressed the expectation that, with the completion of the negotiation process, the post-monitoring mission of the Council of Europe in Montenegro will also come to an end, thereby confirming that the country has successfully implemented reforms and achieved the necessary results. They also expressed interest in cooperation between the Government and Parliament in the EU accession process.

Speaking about cooperation with Parliament in the context of European integration, the Minister stated that Montenegro’s accession to the EU is not only a matter for the Government or the ruling majority, but an issue of importance for the entire country and all citizens.

“I am optimistic and expect that all political parties, given their pro-European orientation, will reach a consensus and help us achieve our common goal,” Gorčević concluded.