October 8, 2019 - According to Independent MP Nedjeljko Rudovic, Montenegro's accession to the European Union (EU) has virtually been halted, blamed solely by its political and judicial leadership.
"I do not know if it is a balance clause, the fact is that Montenegro's negotiations with the EU have stopped," Rudovic said.
He recalled that since 2012, when it opened negotiations, Montenegro has not been able to close a single chapter formally.
"This, of course, has to do with the new approach and the connection of Chapters 23 and 24 with everything else. But that goes to show that there are no results in a critical area, and that is the rule of law, which is quite clear from every statement made by EU officials, and from every EC progress report on Montenegro," said Rudovic.
Everything happening in the judiciary, and the attitude of the court to the current affairs has a direct repercussion on the future of Montenegro's accession to the Union.
"Essentially, at this moment, that accession has stopped. Formally, probably, no one will say it, but the fact is that we are not going forward," said Rudovic.
He pointed out that it was not the fault of the chief negotiator or, for example, the minister of science.
"The blame lies solely on political top and top judiciary, which, rather than in the service of the state and the rule of law, is clearly in the service of the ruling party," Rudovic said.
He explained that when it comes to the rule of law and the need for Montenegro to have an independent judiciary, it does not refer to the presidents of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, and other judicial officials.
"We are talking about the fact that the whole of Montenegro suffers from the fact that they act as servants of the ruling party and do not do their job. Everyone is taken care of, remember the apartment affair, and in what way and who is honored with apartments, some of them several times," said Rudovic.
As he said, Montenegro is suffering damage due to such behavior, and system that radically transforms the state and all its institutions into servants of the ruling party.
Asked how, given everything he said he sees the future of Montenegro's negotiations with the EU, he said that it depends on global trends and on the situation in the Union itself, as well as on the situation on the home ground.
The fact is, Rudovic said that Montenegro could not expect any progress unless it clears up "the situation in its backyard."
"There is no dilemma here. We are not a big country that can be as influential at the EU level as much as we would like, but we can do what is right for us. Why we don't do this, I think is completely clear - because those on whom it depends don't want it," Rudovic concluded.
Speaker of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration and Democratic Front MP Slaven Radunovic said that the EU has stopped the process of integration of Montenegro, and that the balancing clause has been informally activated, but that it is not officially mentioned for political reasons.
Source: Vijesti Online
