- Montenegro is not seeking shortcuts on its path to membership in the European Union, but expects a more active and more realistic approach to enlargement. The degree of progress made should be borne in mind, as well as the numerous challenges that our country is facing. Each candidate country should be admitted when it is ready for membership. We regard the regatta principle as the only rightful one - said the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ivan Brajović, in a discussion on the future of the European Union at the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments, held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
Brajović reminded that, in the presidential election, as well as all the previous ones since the independence, Montenegrin citizens supported pro-European and pro-Western politics and that this fact should be valued and rewarded.
- Montenegro is an important country in the Western Balkans, it will also pave the way towards the EU for other countries as well - President of the European Parliament Mr Antonio Tajani said at a meeting with the President of the Parliament of Montenegro and expressed optimism about Montenegro's EU accession by 2025. He voiced readiness for joint work and personal contribution to the strengthening of the economy and reform processes in Montenegro.
The President of the Parliament of Montenegro also talked with the presidents of parliaments of the states that currently hold and that will hold presidency of the European Union in the upcoming period: Ms Tsveta Karayancheva from Bulgaria, Mr Wolfgang Sobotka from Austria, Ms Paula Risikko from Finland. Meetings were also held with President of the Italian Senate Ms Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, President of the French Senate Mr Gerard Larcher and Speaker of the Swedish Parliament Mr Urban Ahlin.
All interlocutors pointed out good bilateral relations with Montenegro and voiced satisfaction with the citizens' decision to affirm the pro-European future of their country in the previous presidential election. The speakers of the parliaments, also without exception, advocated for the regatta principle for the future EU member states and voiced their willingness to be solid partners to Montenegro on its path towards the community of European peoples. They discussed the models of providing concrete support in the reform processes, strengthening the administrative capacities and economic cooperation with Montenegro. President Brajović voiced realistic expectation that Montenegro be the first next member state of the EU, as well as the position that all Western Balkans countries - with the support of our country - should become a part of the Union as soon as possible.
In the conclusions of the Conference, adopted by the speakers of the EU parliaments, they underlined enlargement as a key policy of the Union, which must be based on the principle of individual achievements of each country. One of the conclusions says that because of the strengthening of external influences on the WB countries, it is imperative that the EU continues to protect its values and interests in the region.
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Speech of President Brajović
Cover footage - Estonia
