The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, met with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Duško Marković, on 13 July. They exchanged views on Montenegro’s EU path and the political situation in the country in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 August.

The High Representative and the Prime Minister discussed the Western Balkans’ revitalised EU integration process and Montenegro’s progress in its EU accession talks. High Representative Borrell welcomed the important milestone achieved by Montenegro in opening its last negotiating chapter on 30 June and stressed the importance of Montenegro continuing to demonstrate the concrete results of the country’s engagement in reforms.

Montenegro’s full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy and its contribution to EU peace missions around the world was also welcomed. The importance of continued work together in crucial security fields such as fighting terrorism and countering hybrid threats was also underlined during the discussion.

The High Representative and the Prime Minister touched upon the regional dimension too. High Representative / Vice President Borrell emphasised that good neighbourly relations, coordination and cooperation within the region remain an essential element of the enlargement process, and encouraged Montenegro to continue its decisive role in this regard.

Finally, they also discussed the impact of COVID-19 on Montenegro and the strong mutual solidarity between the EU and Montenegro since the outbreak of the pandemic. The EU is, and will remain, the largest and most reliable partner for the Western Balkan region in addressing the immediate, long-term and structural impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.