Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – Head of the Working Group for Chapter 17 Milica Kilibarda has said that there is a clear commitment of the European Union and Montenegro with regard to the use of the euro as an official currency, adding that it is certain that a framework for its introduction will be changed.
She said that it was difficult to predict when Chapter 17 – Economic and monetary union will be closed, reminding that it was necessary to fulfil five benchmarks before that.
“As a criterion for one of the benchmarks is not clearly defined, and the solution related to the manner of introduction of the euro will be found during the negotiations, it is difficult to say when the chapter will be closed,” Kilibarda told Mina-business agency.
She said that all European Commission’s documents pertaining to Chapter 17 mention the specificity of Montenegro in terms of the use of the euro, which had been an official tender since 2002.
“The EC always underlines that the use of the euro in Montenegro is completely distinct from the eurozone membership. It also says in all documents that Montenegro would like to keep the euro as an official tender but understands that the EU accession does not automatically imply joining the eurozone and Eurosystem,” said Kilibarda.
She reminded that, opening Chapter 17 at an intergovernmental conference in June, European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said the EU would define the manner of application of the existing framework for introduction of the euro in Montenegro during the negotiations.
He said that, after the accession, Montenegro could continue to use the euro, provided that it should not interfere with its economic stability and competitiveness.
This article was published with the financial support of the European Union available within the framework of the project “Dealing with Ethics and Fake News” IPA2018/397-252. The Mina agency assumes full responsibility for its contents, which do not necessarily reflect the position of the EU.
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