Reforms related to accession to the European Union (EU) bring benefits to citizens, institutions and businesses in candidate countries, and the continuous work of Montenegro on this path will improve the dynamics of the integration process, said the Head of the EU Delegation in Podgorica, Aivo Orav.
At today’s International Conference of the Montenegrin Pan-European Union (MPEU) “For Europe: Communicating European Integration between EU Member States and Enlargement Countries”, he said that the challenging circumstances in recent years have demanded a renewed EU focus on the internal affairs of this community. Further he explained, this is not at the expense of the enlargement policy, “which remains our priority and our most successful foreign policy”.
“Reforms related to EU accession bring benefits to citizens, institutions and businesses in candidate countries, as well as the EU itself, and this strengthens our commitment to working together to overcome this challenge,” Orav said.
The strategic priority of the EU is, as he said, to further strengthen the work throughout the region, “including Montenegro and Serbia, which are currently leaders in a successful accession process.”
“I am convinced that the continuous and hard work of Montenegro will improve the dynamics of the integration process,” Orav said.
The President of the International PEU, Alain Terrenoire, said that Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania, countries that are so close to Montenegro, did not get the opportunity to “share the European adventure”, as he recalled, as it was the case with Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia.
Aivo Orav
Alain Terrenoire
Alain Terrenoire
“I’m sorry because it’s unfair, discrimination,” Terrenoire said. He said that there are various external influences, which aim to make Europe not a great power. “Everyone knows that our freedom and independence are at serious threat. These threats have many faces, we have the terrorism of an Islamic source, and all the European states must be concerned about it, “Terrenoire said.
The President of the Montenegrin Pan-European Union, Gordana Đurović, believes that one of the messages from today’s event should be to advocate better communication on European integration
Gordana Đurović
“Communication is insufficiently visible and very important part of the integration process. To ensure that the citizens who are at the center of the process are truly informed, both citizens of EU member states and citizens of our region, who sometimes do not know enough about the process, “said Đurović. The next message, she added, is the struggle for more dynamic integration of the countries of the region. The process has lasted for such a long time. While, expecting new documents in the spring of next year, such as the Enlargement Strategy, a new Report from the European Commission, through today’s dialogue, we want to make a contribution with several positive messages about this process, ” Đurović said.
Strengthening social awareness and cohesion in the very process of membership negotiations is, as she said, another important idea.
“This is a very important topic today in the EU, through the European economic and social balance that need to promote social rights,” Đurović said.
She believes it is important that all countries of South Eastern Europe find themselves in the Enlargement Strategy.
“I believe that the progress of one group of countries will be a very strong incentive for other countries in the region to go into a stronger process and that there will be no European blockades along the way,” Đurović said.
Member of the European Parliament from Croatia, Ivana Maletić, recalled that this country independently passed the road to EU accession
Ivana Maletić
“It’s not that important whether you go alone or in the package when it comes to joining the EU. It’s important that the work is done. And the biggest thing and what you need to do is work on yourselves. The key assessments that come from the level of the European Commission and all European institutions must be very objective and professional, ” Maletić said.
She said that, as a representative in the EP, she would advocate that this become a clear and transparent process and when, as she stated, the state does everything well to have the opportunity to enter the EU, “then not to emerge the subsequent obstacles that prevent it “.
Ivo Vajgl
Member of the European Parliament from Slovenia, Ivo Vajgl, said that, as a supporter of the idea of peace, he is very worried about the situation in the world
“I cannot reconcile with the fact that in Europe we have a Cold War. I do not think it was necessary to “tick the sword” and to lock the wedge between Europe and Russia. I think this confrontation was unnecessary. I think that Europe’s strategic interest is to live with all neighbors in peace, and such a neighbor is Russia, ” Vajgl believes.
He said that there must be a geostrategy of peace and that “it is necessary to act for the benefit of its benefit, not for the benefit of its own harm.”
Pavo Barišić
The Secretary General of the International PEU, Pavo Barišić, talked about the values of the era, what are the values that the European citizens lead to gather.
about how to introduce the euro. So we can take your patent. Is it the Eurozone? Is it a common market? Is it the Schengen area of free movement, which has been again challenged in the last few years? “, Barišić said. All these instruments are considered important for the unification of Europe
Andreas Raab
Andreas Raab, Deputy Chairman of the German Pan-European Union, said that the fundamental values of the EU are few but very important and, as he said, they describe the principles of a free and democratic society and the European way of living together.
“The Union is based on the values of respecting human dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the right of persons belonging to minorities. The society that cherishes pluralism, non-discrimination and tolerance, justice solidarity and equality between women and men. Without recognizing the fundamental values, there is no place in the EU, “Raab said.
Andrej Lepavcov
A member of the Presidency of the International PEU, Andrej Lepavcov, said that the EU’s door should remain open until, as he said, the last country from the region does not enter the EU.
“Integration into the EU is also important from the political context and its contribution to long-term stability and prosperity of the state and the region,” Lepavcov said
