EU Enlargement Chief to Press Montenegro on Reform

The European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, will come to Montenegro on Friday as a part of a tour of all the Western Balkan countries early in his mandate.

Tte EU delegation in Podgorica described Hahn’s visit at the beginning of his mandate as a sign that enlargement negotiations have the same priority in Brussels as they did before.

“Commissioner Hahn believes that negotiations and reforms are not just a bureaucratic process – it is important that their implementation does have a positive and tangible impact on citizens’ daily lives,” the EU Delegation said in a statement.

In addition to aligning national legislation with the body of EU laws and standards known as the acquis communautaire, Montenegro needs to strengthen the rule of law and carry out economic reforms.

During his visit, Hahn will meet top state officials just a month after the EU released its latest progress report on Montenegro, which urged a strengthening of the rule of law and fresh measures to spur economic recovery.

The report said the the overall pace of reforms will play a role in determining the pace of the country’s EU accession negotiations.