Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-03-08-Speech-2-568-000"
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"en.20110308.27.2-568-000"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, you will be voting on the resolution on the European integration process of Montenegro tomorrow. I consider the commitment of the European Parliament to preserve the openness of the European Union very commendable. At the same time, you will also have an important role in winning over the general public of the Member States to the cause of enlargement, of enlargement based on conditionality. The resolution you will be adopting tomorrow also confirms the realisation of this responsibility.
Moreover, Montenegro is home to the new workgroup on culture and society of the Regional Cooperation Council, the Cetinje Parliamentary Forum. Integration is inconceivable without regional cooperation, and Montenegro sets an example in this respect.
The resolution to be adopted by Parliament represents an actual stocktaking of achievements. It is an accurate account of the current situation and a useful guideline to the tasks of the candidate country. I congratulate the rapporteur, as well as all those who actively participated in the creation of the document.
Finally, I would like to encourage Montenegro and the Montenegrin authorities to continue their reform efforts and to endeavour to meet the expectations of their own citizens.
Let me tell you that there is utmost commitment on the part of the Council as well. In line with the renewed enlargement consensus approved by the European Council, the Council confirmed in its conclusions of 14 December 2010 that the EU firmly supports the continuation of the enlargement process in the Western Balkans countries on the basis of the principles and conclusions adopted.
The Hungarian Presidency of the European Council is also deeply committed to this objective. I would like to thank you for the excellent work you have done, and for contributing through this resolution to the consolidation of Montenegro’s achievements, for which there is a great need throughout the accession process.
We have confirmed Montenegro’s European perspective on several occasions. The stability of the country and its orientation towards Europe, which is supported by all political parties as well as the majority of the citizens, and the high degree of consensus between the various ethnic groups, are all features which make Montenegro a stabilising factor in the Western Balkans region.
Let us not forget that Montenegro achieved visa liberalisation, the conclusion of the stabilisation and association agreement, and obtained candidate country status within 12 months. These are significant results, and prove that a European perspective acts as a driving force for the preparations of a country. The EU must therefore acknowledge the commitment and achievements of the countries intending to join. Thanks to the progress made, further steps can be taken in the country’s European programme; new commitments can be made and new requirements can be formulated. To this end, delegations of the EU institutions and the Member States, at different levels and in different fields, are meeting on a daily basis these days.
We therefore welcome the current steps taken by Montenegro, particularly the action plan just adopted by its government, drawn up in response to the recommendations formulated in the Commission’s opinion, and we also welcome the method employed, namely, that the government held extensive consultations with civil society before the drafting of the action plan.
Please allow me to give a quick list of the so-called key priorities where progress needs to be made. These are also mentioned in the Commission’s November 2010 opinion. These include the reinforcement of the rule of law, the continuation of the reform of public administration, as well as the strengthening of public administration capacity, the adoption of an electoral law that complies with the constitution, and increased media freedom. This is not only important from a legal point of view, but also represents a touchstone for the political maturity of the authorities. Furthermore, it is extremely important to guarantee the legal status of persons who were forced to leave their homes and to respect their rights, as is the fight to eliminate organised crime and corruption. We are expecting serious progress from Montenegro in this respect as well.
In order for any subsequent step to be taken in the stabilisation and association process in general, and specifically in the commencement of the accession negotiations, it is very important for Montenegro to make progress in these areas and also to make further efforts. It is essential for Montenegro to fulfil its undertakings and to be able to present tangible results.
Ladies and gentlemen, Montenegro plays an important part in regional cooperation. It engages in close cooperation with its neighbours and we honestly welcome the constructive role it is playing in stabilising the region and promoting good neighbourhood relations, particularly as the country holding the Presidency of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process."@en1
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