EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will visit Montenegro on Thursday and Friday to reaffirm the European Union’s continued support for the country’s accession process.
To date, Montenegro has opened all chapters in its EU accession negotiations and has already closed 14, including six last year and two additional chapters this year, the European Commission stated. The country is making steady and consistent progress in its negotiations. Efforts must be maintained and supported to respect Montenegro’s ambitious negotiation timetable.
In Podgorica, Commissioner Kos will meet with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović, and Minister for European Affairs Maida Gorčević. Discussions will focus on the progress Montenegro has achieved in reforms on its path to EU membership, as well as the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which allocates up to €383.5 million for Montenegro following successful implementation of reforms. A joint press conference with Prime Minister Spajić will follow.
Commissioner Kos will also meet with the President of the Montenegrin Parliament, Andrija Mandić, local authorities, and opposition party members to discuss the importance of maintaining political will and unity for the EU agenda. She will participate in a public discussion with youth on opportunities EU membership can bring to everyday life and visit the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, a regional hub working to strengthen digital resilience.
On Friday, Commissioner Kos will visit Nikšić, designated European Capital of Culture 2030, where she will meet with Mayor Marko Kovačević and tour the Tehnopolis Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre. She will also meet beneficiaries of the EU-funded Youth Guarantee initiative, which helps young Montenegrins integrate into the labor market after graduation.
