European Forum

Montenegro PM anticipates EU membership by 2019

On 6 July the Prime Minister of Montenegro Igor Lukšić expressed his hope that negotiations on the country’s EU accession will start early next year, paving the way for membership in the union before the end of 2019.

The PM noted that the EU membership challenges facing Montenegro include “building institutions and fighting against corruption and organized crime.” According to Lukšić, Montenegro is cautious when it comes to satisfying the fiscal requirements of the eurozone. He repeated predictions that the country’s budget deficit would total three per cent of GDP by year’s end, with public debt expected to reach around 45 per cent of GDP. According to projections from the European Commission, the average level of debt in the eurozone will rise as high as 87.8 per cent, with a budget deficit of around 4.3 per cent. “We are conducting our economic policy in a way that will ensure people in EU member states and the European Central Bank can maintain security,” Lukšić said.

On 21 June a second meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council (SAA) was held between the EU and Montenegro in Luxembourg. Speaking at a press conference, former Hungarian Presidency of the European Union Zsolt Németh said that he is committed to giving a new impetus to the EU enlargement process and hopes that a decision will be reached as early as this year on starting EU accession negotiations with Montenegro. Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle expressed his satisfaction with the work done since December. He finds that good progress has being made towards meeting the Copenhagen Criteria, a pre-requisite for beginning accession talks. “The necessary legislative process is progressing well; Montenegro must finish this process”, Füle said. “The Commission is ready to give all technical and financial support to Montenegro to help it fulfil the requirements.”

Montenegro signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU in October 2007, and applied in 2008 for EU accession. It was officially granted candidate country status in December 2010; however, instead of giving a specific date for commencing negotiations, the SAA determined seven key priorities for the country. In order to begin negotiations before autumn 2011, these requirements must be met completely, before the next enlargement package can be accepted, the Hungarian EU Presidency said on 21 June.

Sources: TheSofiaEcho; BalkanInsight; European Union            Image: Flicker by Ancji