LUXEMBOURG – The European Union on June 25 opened new chapters in the accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia, bringing the two countries a further step closer to joining the Union.
The two chapters opened with Serbia are covering fisheries as well as financial and budgetary provisions. It brings the total number of chapters opened between Belgrade and Brussels to 14 out of a total of 35.
Johannes Hahn, commissioner for European neighborhood policy and enlargement negotiations, said the opening of the two chapters was a “merit-based achievement of Serbia.”
Hahn also insisted on the need for Belgrade to “intensify the pace of reforms particularly on the rule of law” and to nomalize relations with Serbia’s former province, Kosovo.
The EU also opened one new chapter with Montenegro on economic and monetary policy, bringing to 31 the total number of chapters open for the country.