In the year after the major changes in the European Union (EU) itself, after the elections and Brexit, it is important for both Montenegro and the entire Western Balkans to maintain a realistic EU enlargement agenda, which aims to adopt the standards and values of democracy and open civil society, said the Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), Milena Bešić, at the opening of the panel discussion "European Integration of Montenegro and the Presidency's Opportunities for the EU Council in the Context of Enlargement Policy"
"Regardless of the adoption of the new enlargement methodology, the program should remain proactive and thoroughly implemented. It is therefore crucial for governments to step up their efforts to advance democracy and the rule of law," Bešić said.
Montenegro's Deputy Chief EU Negotiator, Marko Mrdak, stressed that there is currently no better topic and occasion for discussion than the recently released new EC accession negotiations methodology and that although it has in some ways served as an impetus for re-updating EU enlargement policy and providing political support, it is a good overture for the upcoming EU-ZB Council, which is scheduled for May in Zagreb.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia to Montenegro, Veselko Grubišić, reiterated that the Croatian Presidency would advocate the continuation of consistent, effective and credible enlargement policy, as a precondition for stability, security and further economic development and cohesion in Europe.
The moderator of the panel discussion, Marko Pejović, stated at the beginning of the panel discussion that there does not seem to be a better date for holding the panel discussion, considering that in the past period from numerous addresses in the EU, the focus has been on EU enlargement, where meetings in as part of the preparations for the Summit of Leaders of all EU Member States and the Western Balkans, as well as the impact of Croatia's EU Council Presidency.
A member of the negotiating team of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and a lecturer at the University of Donja Gorica, Dr. Vladimir Ateljević, pointed out that the enlargement policy is now the most in focus, compared to the last 20 years, which, according to him, the events from October 2019 to today, which coincide with CEDEM's activities.
UDG Humanities lecturer, Nikoleta Đukanović, stressed that the various crises have shaken the EU for a long time, but that they have managed to overcome each, and expressed hope that the current challenges facing the EU will not stop the integration of the Western Balkan countries.
Professor at the University of Montenegro and President of the Montenegrin Pan-European Union, Prof. dr Gordana Đurović, emphasized that Montenegro had done a lot in the previous period, but that in the course of the negotiation process so far, Montenegro had to focus more on the 'import' of values from the EU and less on the import of goods and services. She also referred to current political developments in Montenegro, noting the importance of peacekeeping as a precondition for any progress.
The panel discussion was held within the project "Education and Dialogue to the EU", supported by the Ministry of Public Administration.