Podgorica, (MINA) – The Government of Montenegro enjoys the support of the European Union (EU) due to its work and results, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said and called on opposition MPs and other societal actors to jointly contribute to the country’s European goal.

Spajic said this during a special parliamentary session dedicated to the Prime Minister’s Questions, replying to Europe Now Movement (PES) MP Boris Pejovic how asked about the pace of EU negotiations.

Pejovic said that for 20 years citizens have been hearing that Montenegro will become a full EU member and enjoy a higher standard of living, adding that until the formation of the current government, only three out of 33 negotiation chapters had been closed.

Spajic said that this is the most important issue and recalled that Montenegro recently received what he described as perhaps the most important news since the restoration of independence, alluding to the decision of the EU member states to establish an ad hoc working party to draft Montenegro’s Accession Treaty.

“The geopolitical circumstances are favorable to Montenegro and all other countries to join the EU. The question is why only Montenegro is using this opportunity”, said Spajic.

He said that the best circumstances were in the first wave of enlargement in 2004 and asked who was in power in Montenegro at that time and why that opportunity was missed.

According to Spajic, another most favorable moment came in 2007, but it was not used either.

“That year, Montenegro did not join the EU because of endemic corruption and organized crime”, said Spajic.

Now, as he said, it is almost twice as difficult for Montenegro to join the Union, given the scope of European regulations the country must meet.

Spajic emphasized that the EU supports the current Montenegrin Government because it recognizes its work and results, but also because they see that it has nothing to hide.

According to him, no one will remember who brought Montenegro into the EU, and called on the opposition to carry out the process together.