The General Secretariat of Government, in cooperation with Montenegrin Pan-European Union has organized a panel debate: “Presidency over EU 2020: the look at the future“ in sport and cultural centre of the University of Montenegro on July the 6th 2020. The meeting has been organized regarding eight years of accession negotiations, as well as the ending of Croatian presidency over Council of the EU and overtaking of presidency by Germany. The conference was held within EU4ME project which is funded by the EU.
Panel debate has been organized according to measures of the National Coordination Body for infectious diseases.
The lecturers were: the main negotiator Aleksandar Drljevic, the president of Montenegrin Pan-European Union prof. dr Gordana Djurovic and the ambassadors of Republics of Croatia and Germany in Montenegro, Veselko Grubisic and Robert Veber.
At the beginning of the panel discussion exchange of opinion was introduced about the results of Croatian presidency over EU Council and the plans of German taking over, in the context of European perspective of Western Balkans, the actual situation in the EU, as well as the plans and duties of Montenegro in the continuation of negotiation process.
The main negotiator between Montenegro and the EU, Aleksandar Drljevic in his introduction has especially stressed the opening of the last negotiating chapter within the negotiating process.
“Huge financial medical professional help which has been present during pandemic, from the European Commission and member states, is very important. That is something crucial to mention. Eventually, it culminated with the new methodology and accepting the new methodology by Montenegro and at the end, the opening of the last negotiating chapter within the negotiating process.“, Drljevic said.
Gordana Djurovic, the president of Montenegrin Pan-European Union has especially pointed out the importance of the opening of negotiations with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia.
“The thing we all welcomed and what is in particular important to highlight, is opening the negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, because it has simply been a big promise to the region, especially for North Macedonia.”, she added.
The ambassador of Germany in Montenegro, Robert Veber, has stressed that the following elections are really serious test for the democracy in Montenegro.
He pointed out that the following four years are very important and that the next government would be in position to close as many chapters as possible and bring the country closer to membership.
Veber said EU wants Montenegro to become member and that Montenegro has to fulfill the criteria and show it belongs to European family.
Another thing he said is that the contribution to repeated strengthening of Europe is the big challenge of presidency of Germany over the Council of EU.
“In the program of recovery we need to strengthen the economies in member states and solidarity, which was criticized at the start of crisis by some countries.“, Veber claimed.
He added that nobody could predict the crisis with Corona virus and that sometimes the decisions had to be made rashly, and later to be changed.
As he said, during the presidency over EU, Germany would deal with finalization of Bregzit and perennial financial framework of the Union, which is connected to the recovery of Europe.
“I am aware of and I know that the Government of Germany is completely dedicated to that. Sometimes the expectations of our presidency are at the high level. Some hope that everything can be solved, I warn that it is a process.“, Veber said.
The ambassador of Croatia in Montenegro, Veselko Grubisic said that membership of Montenegro in the EU should be cohesion factor.
As he pointed out, Montenegro needs to continue to follow the reforms and that would definitely bring it to the end of negotiations and to membership in the Union.
“I think you should really work hard. Not looking back at positive things in the reports.“, Grubisic said.
The ambassador of Croatia said that EU during the Corona virus crisis has shown the solidarity and how it protects and connects.
At the end of the panel discussion, the president of Montenegrin Pan-European Union, Gordana Djurovic claimed that in front of Montenegro there is many European tasks, but that the country has proved many times that when it politically organizes well, it can accomplish important European steps.