President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović expressed hope that the parliament will soon pass the law on the Government, aiming to prevent political bargaining in the future.
Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini, who is on an official visit to Montenegro, Milatović highlighted that Montenegro currently has the second-largest government in the world.
When asked about the biggest challenges Montenegro faces in the EU accession process, Milatović described Montenegro as the most advanced candidate country in the region. He emphasized that Montenegro has institutionally progressed the furthest, being the only country to have opened all negotiation chapters and already closed six of them.
“Our plan is to close all chapters by the end of next year or early 2027 and become the 28th member of the EU by 2028,” Milatović stated.
He also noted a renewed momentum for EU enlargement following the war in Ukraine.
“We know what our domestic tasks are. I always stress the need to accelerate reforms and fulfil our agenda even faster,” said Milatović.
He acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly in the areas of the rule of law, environmental protection, and ecology.
“I believe that with focus, strong political will, and the support coming from the European Commission, member states including Slovakia, all these challenges will be overcome,” Milatović added. He expressed optimism that Montenegro will deliver results and meet its ambitious goals by 2028.
Milatović described Pellegrini’s visit during his first year in office as a confirmation of sincere friendship and partnership between Montenegro and Slovakia.
He emphasized that the two countries share friendly relations rooted in close historical and cultural ties.
“We especially value Slovakia’s contribution to Montenegro during key moments in our modern history from the process of restoring independence, through strong support for Montenegro’s NATO membership, up to today’s path towards full EU membership,” Milatović said.
He thanked Slovakia for technical assistance and support on the EU accession path.
“This support reflects Slovakia’s consistent and clear backing of the enlargement policy, demonstrated both bilaterally and through numerous regional and European formats,” he added.
Milatović also reminded that Montenegro will host the EU-Western Balkans Summit next year, calling it a great honour and further proof of the trust the EU and its member states place in Montenegro.
Highlighting cooperation within NATO, Milatović noted that Montenegro and Slovakia are allies who jointly support European security efforts, particularly on NATO’s eastern flank, where both countries participate in missions.
He stressed that both nations work with equal dedication to nurture good neighbourly relations.
President Pellegrini praised the close and friendly relations Slovakia shares with Montenegro.
He underscored that the Western Balkans deserve the full attention of the entire EU and its member states, linking this to the region’s future stability.
Slovakia stands firmly with Montenegro, Pellegrini affirmed, noting Montenegro’s significant progress in the EU accession process as a positive example for other candidate countries.
“This process is by no means simple, as our own experience confirms. Your country must undergo numerous, sometimes painful reforms,” Pellegrini remarked.
Regarding the current government’s size, Milatović candidly stated that it resulted from political negotiations and compromises among nearly ten political parties supporting the government.
He also acknowledged the negative aspects of this arrangement and expressed hope that the upcoming law on the Government will be passed soon as part of the reform agenda and EU accession process.
“I hope that once adopted, the law will prevent the political bargaining
Written by our correspondent A.A.
