Ivanović, Kowal: Montenegro a success story of European integration

Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović met with Paweł Kowal, Member of Parliament and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland.

The meeting focused on Montenegro’s European integration and the strong support Poland provides to our country on its path towards EU membership.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović briefed his interlocutor on the progress Montenegro has made in the accession negotiations, noting that more than half of the negotiating chapters have been provisionally closed to date. He emphasised that Montenegro expects to complete the negotiating process by the end of the year, further confirming its position as the most advanced EU candidate country.

MP Kowal commended Montenegro’s progress on its European path, noting that the results achieved in the previous period are a clear indication of the country’s commitment to reforms and meeting European standards. He stressed that Montenegro is currently the most advanced candidate for EU membership and a positive example for other countries in the region. He expressed Poland’s full support, as well as that of the Polish Parliament, for Montenegro’s further progress, emphasising that EU enlargement would have a positive impact on the security and stability of the European continent as a whole. For this reason, he noted, it is necessary to further accelerate the enlargement process and provide a clear European perspective to countries delivering concrete results.

The two officials assessed that Montenegro’s position as the most advanced candidate country represents a strong argument for intensifying the next steps in the accession process. In this context, they expressed the expectation that Montenegro would receive strong support from Poland in ensuring the swiftest possible ratification of the Accession Treaty following the completion of the negotiations.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on other current regional and security issues, with both sides stressing the importance of stability in the Western Balkans for the overall security of Europe.