PODGORICA – During the meeting between the Secretary of State for European Integration and Chief Negotiator, Ambassador, Aleksandar A. Pejović , and the Ambassador of Slovakia to Montenegro, Roman Hlobenj, it was announced that Montenegro can count on the full support of Slovakia for its reforms, as well as in the opening of new negotiation chapters and further progress towards membership in the Union.
Ambassador Hlobenj praised Montenegro for the remarkable success achieved during the four years of negotiations and pointed out that it is the result of the quality and systematic implementation of the reform processes in all areas. In this regard, he acclaimed the leading and proactive role of Montenegro and its contribution to the European perspective of the Western Balkans. He congratulated for the recent opening of two new chapters and the fact that Montenegro, with 24 opened and 2 closed Chapters, leads the regional integration process into the European Union. At the same time, Ambassador Hlobenj conveyed the readiness of the Slovak Presidency to continue the dynamic negotiating agenda and to facilitate the opening of several chapters by the end of 2016.
Ambassador Pejović thanked for the permanent bilateral technical and expert assistance of the Government of Slovakia, which represents a significant contribution to strengthening the capacity for fulfilling the obligations derived from the process of accession to the EU and NATO. He pointed out that the ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to NATO in the Slovak Parliament is an indicator of a reliable friendship between the two countries.
The chief negotiator said that the conclusions and messages from the Summit in Paris provide insurance that the next six months will be marked with an intense pace in the accession negotiations. In this context, he presented the Ambassador with current and planned activities in the negotiating process and underlined the domestic readiness for opening or closing further chapters.
The interlocutors also exchanged opinions on plans and commitments until the end of 2016 and agreed to intensify contacts and cooperation during the Slovak Presidency of the EU.