PODGORICA – In order to further advance on its path and meet the interim benchmarks for Chapter 23 of its accession negotiations, Montenegro needs to make further progress on rule of law reforms, including to advance and not reverse the implementation of the judicial reform, wrote the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa on her Twitter account. “Montenegro already has the bodies and mechanisms to ensure judicial and prosecutorial independence and accountability. We encourage to make consistent use of these mechanisms and build on the work done to further develop results in the fight against corruption and organised crime”, Popa highlighted. The Delegation reminded that the rule of law is one of the fundamental values of the EU and, as such, is a key element of the EU accession process, which determines the overall pace of Montenegro’s accession negotiations.