25 June 2019 - The continuation of the enlargement process and consolidation of the credibility of the Western Balkan European perspective is in the interest of stability, security and prosperity of the region, as well as Europe as a whole, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srđan Darmanović and his counterpart from Portugal, Augusto Santos Silva agreed at the meeting that was recently held.
"Montenegro and Portugal are fostering friendly and allied relations and today's talks represent a confirmation of efforts to intensify political dialogue at the highest level and to further strengthen our interstate cooperation," the head of the Montenegrin diplomacy pointed out, thanking Portugal for firmly supporting Montenegro in achieving its foreign policy priorities.
In that regard, he especially emphasised the importance of Portugal's expert and technical assistance in the EU accession process, primarily through the implementation of projects within the TAIEX instruments, reported Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro.
"Our commitment to the integration into the family of the most developed European democracies is essential for the effective fulfillment of obligations from the negotiating agenda and internal reform activities, which yield results in the form of defining a functional legal framework and significant economic progress," added Darmanović.
Minister Santos Silva stressed that the process of European integration and membership in the EU contribute to political stability and socio-economic progress, emphasizing that Portugal supports the continuation of enlargement, with the continuous adoption of standards and legal regulations by candidate countries. He added that the process of enlargement and internal reforms of the European Union could be implemented in parallel, and in that context, pointed out the importance of intensifying Montenegro's negotiating process and progress in the process of accession to the Union.
The two ministers agreed that in the coming period special attention should be paid to considering the mechanism of economic cooperation development. They also pointed out that there is room for further expansion of cooperation between the two foreign ministries through the organisation of bilateral political consultations, as well as the overall Montenegrin-Portuguese relations, especially in the fields of science, education and culture.
Read more about Politics in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.
