Podgorica, (MINA) – The enlargement policy is a saving formula for the EU as well, said Montenegrin president Milo Djukanovic, and remarked that, if the Union fails to integrate the Western Balkans any time soon, the possibility for influence of the third countries is open.
During a lecture “The Western Balkans and the EU following Brexit- the Views form Montenegro” he held in Argentina, he said that two and half years ago Europe and world were better places to live then they are today.
“If the Union fails to integrate the Western Balkans in any time soon, and thus embrace the whole continent within its borders, the possibility opens for influence of third countries, not only in the Balkans, but in the most of the EU, too”, said Djukanovic.
He believes that the enlargement policy is a saving formula for the EU as well.|
Djukanovic believes that a new cohesive tissue of integration for new times is necessary.
“We eagerly expect to see what the elections for the EU Parliament in the spring next year will bring and what the position of the new European Commission towards the enlargement policy will be”, Djukanovic stressed.
His message, as he said, is the same for Montenegro, the region and the EU.
“The process of enlargement and complete uniting of the European Union is an optimal path for my country, for the Western Balkans and the whole of Europe”, said Djukanovic.
He said that he could find lots of arguments for the claim that the Western Balkans was closer to Brussels in mid-2016 that it is now.
According to him, Brexit was not the only problem of the EU, but it has not recovered from the global, financial, and migrant crisis, as well as that relations with the USA and Russia are very complex.
Additional concern, according to Djukanovic, causes the fact that the EU’s leading countries, Germany and France, are preoccupied with their interior challenges.
Speaking about Montenegro and what changed in the country in two and half years, he said that in the fall of 2016 regular parliamentary elections were held and that Russia interfered, prompted by Montenegro’s choice to join NATO.
“It had support for its plan in the part of the opposition in Montenegro, as well as nationalistic structures in Serbia, but we won and prevented violent taking of the power”, said Djukanovic.
He added that Montenegro is for a year and half a member of NATO and that another negotiation chapter, chapter 27- Environmental protection, was opened in Brussels on Monday.
“We expected faster pace with opening and closing of the chapters, but Brussels decided to, during one half year presidency, only two chapters can be opened”, Djukanovic explained, adding that Montenegro was ready to close a dozen of chapters.
“However, we believe that Brussels is not ready. And it will be less and less ready in the eve of the elections for the EP in the spring next year, when the term of the current EC expires”, Djukanovic emphasized. Longer version of article is available on a link MINA ENGLISH SERVIS
