28 May 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović participated in the meeting of diplomats of the Višegrad Group (V4) and the Western Balkan countries, which took place in Bratislava, within the framework of the Slovakian presidency of V4. The meeting discussed the modalities of accelerating reforms and the integration process in the Western Balkans and exchanged views on a common European future in the context of the contemporary challenges facing the international community.
Minister Darmanović stressed that the assistance of the V4 countries to Montenegro's reform process is very important and that their firm support for the integration aspirations of the countries of the region contributes to faster accession to European and Euro-Atlantic structures.
"We have witnessed serious challenges for the European Union in the previous period, but in spite of that, the prospect of enlargement, which is often the most successful EU policy, is very certain, and it is important to be further strengthened," the head of Montenegrin diplomacy noted. He expressed the belief that the issue of enlargement will be high on the agenda of the new European Commission and Parliament while respecting the approach to the individual assessment of candidate countries' progress.
"Faster integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union is essential for further stabilisation and economic progress in the region," Minister Darmanović said, adding that the continuity of integration processes remains the most effective catalyst for reforms in the Western Balkan countries. Emphasising that enlargement is a two-pronged process, the Foreign Minister reiterated that Montenegro is firmly and resolutely committed to meeting its obligations on the path to full EU membership.
The meeting underlined that closer cooperation in the context of European integration and the implementation of joint projects would contribute to sustainable economic development and further stability of the region. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of the Union's greater presence in the Western Balkans, with the continuation of reforms in terms of the rule of law and the enhancement of the institutional framework.
