Remarks by Commissioner Várhelyi at the press conference after the IGC with Montenegro

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Thank you, you very much, Minister Lahbib.

Well, what you see today is that the enlargement of the European Union is not just a philosophical project. It is very much a real one; a real one, because if there is progress on the side of a candidate country, there is clear commitment and progress on the side of the European Union.

And this is why today we have had an intergovernmental conference with the new government of Montenegro - a political inter-governmental conference, as it is called in this EU jargon - meaning to provide the opportunity for the new government to explain to the Member States - the representatives of the Member states - how it intends to accelerate its EU path.

Because this is the clear commitment - I think - we have heard today. But this is a clear commitment that we have been listening to from the birth of this political coalition, and political construction, if you will, bringing Montenegro forward on its EU path.

So, I think what we heard today was more of a common to-do-list of what needs doing to make enlargement happen.

First and foremost, I think we have agreed that we need an acceleration in the fundamentals area. Basically rule of law: chapter 23, chapter 24. Meaning that, we would need to see this area prioritised so that we can come to the next phase of the accession negotiations, which is the final phase, if you will, when we are starting to close the chapters, meaning where we can start to come to agreements leading to accession.

In this context, I think, very positive remarks have emerged, from across all Member States, about the track record of the current political coalition and its government, because we have seen only three months of this government in the working, but we have seen this government and Parliament - and the parliamentary majority, which is strong and stable; we have seen issues addressed that have been long outstanding and that have made Montenegro to wait, a number of years before progress could have been made.

We have seen the appointments of the last member of the Constitutional Court.

We have seen appointments of the Judicial Council members, and we have seen the last election, which was the appointment of the Supreme State Prosecutor. So, I think that the political construction can deliver.

And our message to them was that if they can continue on this path, we are certainly ready. You have just heard, the Belgian Minister, they are also ready to have another IGC under their Presidency, subject to the delivery of the progress on these areas.

So, I am very hopeful, that with this new impetus coming from Podgorica, we will see many things made, many things that we have not been seeing, unfortunately, coming forward and, this way, Montenegro can truly become the frontrunner of the accession process.

To get there, we need the interim assessment benchmarks to be completed, as it is called. And for that, we need still reforms to be made. I think it is very clear that what needs doing in the rule of law area, especially including, media freedom, and the media regulator.

We see, together with the government, how we could best make progress. The European Commission is ready to help the country to get there. But of course, we cannot do the homework instead of you or without you. Therefore, I offer our assistance and help. But I would also want to encourage you to accelerate the work, as we speak.

Maybe to put all the discussion also into context, I want to raise one other topic, which was also mentioned by a number of Member States. And that has got to do with the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, because that Growth Plan is something with which we not only want to create new opportunities for the Western Balkans; with this, we want to accelerate the integration, the real integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union even before accession. Meaning gradual integration into the Single Market, meaning providing the necessary funding, additional funding to accelerate the reform agenda.

This is something that we have put forward to consolidate the work for governments who are eager to join and deliver, but also to stabilise the region and bring forward the regional integration within the region so that the region can act with one another as European Member States are acting with one another.

So, I think we have a very encouraging meeting behind us. I do hope that we have a very encouraging semester in front of us.