Podgorica, (MINA) – All political parties should take active part in the work of the Working Group that will deal with amendments to the election legislation, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn has stated.
Hahn told Pobjeda that the ad hoc parliamentary body should start working as soon as possible, because it has an important and ambitious mission to complete.
“Including a comprehensive election reform, the question of political interference in the Council of the national public broadcaster, removing the challenges regarding the work of the State Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Agency, finding solutions for the election of members of the Judicial Council and resolving the issue of local elections,” Hahn explained.
The EU Commissioner remarked that those weaknesses have been identified in the latest report on Montenegro and are reflected in the plan put forward by two opposition parties, which was then welcomed during a visit to Brussels by leaders of those parties in June.
He also noted that the Western Balkans has never been higher up the EU agenda and that Montenegro should seize that opportunity.
“The forthcoming elections for the European Parliament will not change that. As I already mentioned on several occasions, the actual process of preparations for EU membership is as important as the end goal, which secures: cleaner water, better air and safer food,” Hahn stressed.
According to the Commissioner, Montenegro has made good progress in the EU accession talks.
Hahn said that Chapter 27, on environment, is currently being reviewed by the EU Council, while in Chapter 8, on competition, Montenegro is still working to meet the opening benchmark, and it is important to make the independent state aid authority fully functional.
He added that it is too soon to say when the latter chapter might be opened.
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