PODGORICA – The Government of Montenegro has accepted the new methodology of the process of EU accession, which will serve as a good platform for intensifying the reform process, said Deputy Chief Negotiator Marko Mrdak, Vijesti report.
Mrdak, as a guest on that occasion in the show “Europe” on Radio Montenegro, explained that, after the General Affairs Council of the EU accepted the proposal on the new methodology, conditions were met and that the Government of Montenegro formally declared itself on that issue.
“For Montenegro, in technical terms, the new methodology does not mean much, but in political terms it is a reflection of the readiness to build a process and work on it in a more intensive dialogue with member states. Using the new methodology in the best way will allow us to progress,” Mrdak said.
Asked whether Montenegro would be obliged to change the negotiating framework due to the new methodology, Mrdak said that Montenegro has its own negotiating structure and that the framework would not change.
According to him, in negotiations it is sometimes difficult to draw the line between the technical and political part, but in principle the most obvious novelty in technical terms are the clusters and structure of the EC report with clear indicators and responsibilities for all chapters.
“In the political sense, we can single out the more significant involvement of members in all phases of negotiations, more frequent summits, ministerial contacts, annual intergovernmental conferences. The novelty is both positive and negative conditionality in the current negotiation structure. We know the negative, it is a balance clause, and as for the positive, it refers to the gradual inclusion of candidate countries in EU policies after the successful results have been achieved,” he added.
Mrdak explained that, when it comes to the impact of the cluster on the opening of Chapter 8, the last one remaining to be opened for Montenegro, no difficulties can be expected, given that Montenegro has met all initial criteria and hopes to get the green light from all members for the soon opening of the chapter.