The European Union and Montenegro have agreed this Tuesday on the closure of two additional chapters within the Balkan country's accession process to the community bloc, thus reinforcing its position as the most advanced candidate in European integration, after having provisionally concluded 18 of the 33 chapters required for its future entry.
In the 28th meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro, held this Tuesday in Brussels, Podgorica has closed negotiations on chapter 8 on competition policy and chapter 29 on customs union, as explained by the Council of the EU (the Member States) in a statement.
These two new chapters are closed just one month after Montenegro reached the halfway point of its accession process to the European Union. In this way, it approaches its goal of closing them all before the end of the year and, eventually, negotiating the accession treaty with a view to joining the European Union in 2028.
"With 18 chapters already provisionally closed, more than half of the process, Montenegro remains the leading candidate in the EU accession process," celebrated in statements sent in a press release Thomas Byrne, the Minister of European Affairs of Ireland, the country holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
The Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajic, also celebrated the milestone during a press conference: "We will conclude the accession negotiations, and the parliaments of all EU Member States, our partners, will be ready to begin the ratification process of the Accession Treaty. Our goal is well known: 28 Member States by 2028. We are ready."
For her part, the Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, indicated that Podgorica is "in the final stretch" of joining the EU and that this year "is truly crucial." She also assured that the European Commission "is preparing for Montenegro" and encouraged the Balkan country to "redouble its efforts" in its pending reforms.
In addition to Montenegro, other candidate countries such as Moldova, Ukraine, and Albania are holding accession conferences with the European Union in the community capital this Tuesday. Kyiv has opened another group of chapters for its accession, number six on foreign relations, while Tirana has "provisionally" closed three out of the total of 33 chapters opened for its accession: science and research (number 25), education and culture (26), and foreign relations (30).
"These chapters are of strategic importance for both the EU and Albania. This notable achievement demonstrates the commitment of Albania and the EU to continue on the path of the country's European integration. I very much welcome this important progress and encourage Albania to stay the course on fundamental reforms to continue advancing in the process in the coming months," Byrne has stated.