The European Union commissioner urges Montenegro’s new government to push ahead with EU integration
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, speaks with Montenegro's new Prime Minister Milojko Spajic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Von der Leyen is on a one day official visit to Montenegro.
Montenegro's new Prime Minister Milojko Spajic speaks during a parliament session in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to hold talks with the new Montenegrin prime minister on Tuesday in the capital, Podgorica, as a part of her tour of the Western Balkan states seeking EU membership.
Montenegro's new Prime Minister Milojko Spajic attends a parliament session in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to hold talks with the new Montenegrin prime minister on Tuesday in the capital, Podgorica, as a part of her tour of the Western Balkan states seeking EU membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reviews the honour guard with Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Von der Leyen is on a one day official visit to Montenegro.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, center left, reviews the honour guard with Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Von der Leyen is on a one day official visit to Montenegro.
Montenegro's new Prime Minister Milojko Spajic smiles prior to a parliament session in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to hold talks with the new Montenegrin prime minister on Tuesday in the capital, Podgorica, as a part of her tour of the Western Balkan states seeking EU membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks to the media during a joint news conference after talks with Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Von der Leyen is on a one day official visit to Montenegro.
Montenegro police officers guard parliament building during a protest against new speaker of parliament Andrija Mandic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. After months of political bickering, the parliament in NATO-member and EU candidate Montenegro is set to hold a vote Monday on the small Balkan country's proposed new government that will hinge on the support from pro-Russian and anti-Western groups. Following months of negotiations, the winning coalition received the backing from staunchly anti-Western groups under the condition that one of their leaders, Andrija Mandic, is voted Monday the parliament speaker 鈥� an influential political position.
New speaker of parliament Andrija Mandic speaks during a parliament session in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. After months of political bickering, the parliament in NATO-member and EU candidate Montenegro is set to hold a vote Monday on the small Balkan country's proposed new government that will hinge on the support from pro-Russian and anti-Western groups. Following months of negotiations, the winning coalition received the backing from staunchly anti-Western groups under the condition that one of their leaders, Andrija Mandic, is voted Monday the parliament speaker 鈥� an influential political position.
People protest against new speaker of parliament Andrija Mandic in front of parliament building in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. After months of political bickering, the parliament in NATO-member and EU candidate Montenegro is set to hold a vote Monday on the small Balkan country's proposed new government that will hinge on the support from pro-Russian and anti-Western groups. Following months of negotiations, the winning coalition received the backing from staunchly anti-Western groups under the condition that one of their leaders, Andrija Mandic, is voted Monday the parliament speaker 鈥� an influential political position.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks to the media during a joint news conference after talks with Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Von der Leyen is on a one day official visit to Montenegro.
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) 鈥� The European Commission蘑菇视频 top official on Tuesday urged Montenegro to push ahead with its European Union integration process after the NATO member country elected a new government, ending a political stalemate that stalled its EU bid.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with top Montenegrin officials hours after parliament confirmed the new government following a heated session that lasted through the night.
Parliament approved the new Cabinet with 46 votes in favor and 19 against. Montenegro蘑菇视频 assembly has 81 members but not all were present.
鈥淢ontenegro has been for a long time the most advanced Western Balkan country on the EU accession path, and I am happy to see that you are determined to keep the 鈥� position,鈥� von der Leyen said after talks with President Jakov Milatovic.
鈥淢y first message is that I welcome that you now should be fully focused on the task of the accession objective,鈥� she added. 鈥淭ogether we should go now the last mile, bring it over the finish line.鈥�
The government was formed after months of political bickering that followed an election in June. The centrist Europe Now party of Prime Minister Milojko Spajic won the election but without enough support to form a government on its own.
To form the government, the winning coalition received backing from staunchly anti-Western groups under the condition that one of their leaders, Andrija Mandic, was elected as parliament speaker.
Spajic said his government will be pro-European despite Mandic蘑菇视频 election. He dismissed reports that his Cabinet will be influenced by neighboring Serbia, from which Montenegro split in 2006 after an independence referendum.
鈥淲e hope to unclog the European integration, move forward quickly and become the next member of the European Union,鈥� Spajic told reporters.
Spajic later met with von der Leyen, who is on a tour of Western Balkan countries aspiring to join the 27-nation union. Von der Leyen visited North Macedonia and Kosovo before Montenegro and traveled to Serbia on Tuesday.
In Belgrade, she said enlargement tops the EU agenda at a time of 鈥済lobal turbulence.鈥�
The EU wishes to strengthen Europe蘑菇视频 unity and security, von der Leyen said after talks with Serbia蘑菇视频 President Aleksandar Vucic. 鈥淲e want Serbia to join the union 鈥� It is a promise of peace and prosperity and it is a unique opportunity, right now, that no one else can match.鈥�
Serbia is formally seeking EU entry but has maintained friendly relations with Russia and refused to join Western sanctions introduced against Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine.
Six Western Balkan countries are at different stages on their path to join the EU, a process expected to take years.
As the war rages in Ukraine, EU officials have sought to push the process forward and encourage Balkan nations to boost reforms in order to join. Von der Leyen was discussing details of the 6 billion-euro ($6.37 billion) package for Western Balkan countries.
She also discussed tensions that still exist in the region long after ethnic wars of the 1990s.
Recent violence between Serbia and Kosovo have been high on von der Leyen蘑菇视频 agenda as the EU seeks to negotiate a solution. Kosovo split from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has refused to recognize the former province蘑菇视频 independence.
Vucic said after meeting von der Leyen that 鈥渢he two biggest obstacles for us are Kosovo 鈥� and sanctions against the Russian Federation.鈥� He said Serbia will continue its European path without 鈥渄irectly jeopardizing our state and national interests.鈥�
Von der Leyen said in Montenegro that there are no fixed dates for the accession of any country to the EU and the process depends entirely on the reforms and progress the countries achieve.
U.S. and EU officials have suggested that Montenegro蘑菇视频 government should avoid introducing an anti-NATO and anti-Western political party into its coalition if it wants to join the bloc.
Mandic had called for close ties with Russia rather than the EU and criticized Montenegro蘑菇视频 NATO membership. But when elected as parliament speaker on Monday, he said he is ready to 鈥渟end some new messages.鈥�
Hundreds of opposition supporters waving Montenegrin flags protested in front of the parliament building, and opposition lawmakers criticized the new government as anti-European because of the participation of pro-Serb parties.