Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-12-Speech-3-300"
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"en.20071212.29.3-300"2
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"Mr President, I wish to thank Mr Vernola for this very solid report, which is due to be adopted at a very crucial stage of our relations with Montenegro.
We are very much looking forward to working even more closely with the Government of Montenegro, the Parliament, other institutions and the civil society of the country on its European reform agenda. I am pleased to inform you that the new Commission delegation has been operational since 1 November and is preparing to take over the work carried on by the European Agency for Reconstruction, in due course as planned. Montenegro is expected to receive close to EUR 100 million under the instrument for pre-accession in the coming three-year period until 2009. These funds will assist Montenegro in such areas as the rule of law, the strengthening of administrative capacity and implementation of the SAA. Economic and social development and civil society development certainly will be another priority. So I trust we can count on the strong support of the European Parliament, which is crucial as always.
Let me first make a point on the European perspective of the Western Balkans. The Council meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on Monday reaffirmed that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union. As proof of that we have in the last two months signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Montenegro and initialled SAAs both with Serbia and with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
I want to thank the Portuguese Presidency for its major contribution to these encouraging steps. I hope we can soon sign the two latter agreements, once the conditions have been met by these two countries.
Montenegro has made good progress since independence, including in the development of smoother, well functioning relations with Serbia. Of course a decisive step on Montenegro’s European journey was taken on 15 October this year when we signed the SAA with the country. I welcome the unanimous ratification of the SAA by the Montenegrin Parliament soon thereafter. The SAA provides a stable framework for economic, political and institutional development in Montenegro and it is a significant step forward in the country’s European integration path, provided that the Agreement is properly implemented.
In another positive development, I also welcome the adoption of the Constitution of Montenegro only a few days after the SAA was signed. The new Constitution, which is broadly in line with European standards, helps strengthen democratic institutions in the country. Its full implementation will require further efforts and determination.
The Commission’s regular progress report, adopted on 6 November, highlights these positive developments. It commends Montenegro for establishing the necessary legal and institutional framework following independence. It also underlines progress made by Montenegro in preparing for the implementation of the SAA and strengthening its administrative capacity. Our progress report also points out certain key challenges that Montenegro will face in the coming years. For instance, Montenegro’s administrative capacity remains rather weak and therefore administrative reforms need to be continued at all levels. In the fight against corruption, urgent action is needed to achieve concrete, tangible results. Money laundering and organised crime remain areas of concern. These are also highlighted, rightly so, in your report.
The new Constitution enhances the independence of the judiciary by setting up a new constitutional body, the Judicial Council, in charge of the appointment and dismissal of judges. The Government also adopted a judicial reform strategy for the period 2007-2012. Its implementation will certainly be a major challenge but it is clear that Montenegro needs to ensure the independence, accountability and professionalism of its judges and prosecutors.
Montenegro participates actively in regional cooperation. It has good relations with its neighbours. Most issues with Serbia following independence have been settled. Montenegro has also taken a constructive approach to the Kosovo status issue, aligning itself with the EU’s position.
Focus should now be on full implementation of the interim agreement on preparations for the whole SAA as well as on the recommendations of the European partnership. Montenegro needs to build a solid track record of implementation and of reforms. She has got off to a very good start in the stabilisation and association process and I hope that the country will build on this positive momentum."@en1
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