.: Djukanovic Meets with EU Officials in Brussels

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Djukanovic Meets with EU Officials in Brussels

BRUSSELS, JUNE 10, 2010 -- European Union officials have praised Montenegro’s progress on its path to the EU, but insisted on the importance of increased reforms in the rule-of-law and the fight against organised crime and corruption.

The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, stressed that Montenegro has to make more progress in key areas, especially in the rule of law.

“One area we can now identify and where attention is needed is strengthening of rule of law, including establishing a clear track record on the fight against corruption and organised crime and pursuit of judicial reform,” Barroso said.

Barroso made his remarks after meeting with Montenengrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, who is in Brussels this week for discussions with top EU officials. On Wednesday he met with Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, and today he is scheduled to meet with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, and European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele.

Van Rompuy praised the role of Montenegro in regional cooperation and inter-ethnic dialogue, but echoed Barroso in calling for strengthening of the rule of law.

“Sustainable progress in the fields related to the rule of law, such as judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime remain of outmost importance for us,” Van Rompuy explained. “There are no shortcuts and the remaining challenges must not be underestimated,” he added.

At a press conference following the meetings yesterday, Djukanovic emphasized his government's goals, namely to receive a positive opinion from the European Commission on its membership application and a recommendation for the start of accession talks.

“We believe that all conditions will be met for Montenegro to get candidacy status by the end of this year, along with the date for the start of accession talks,” Djukanovic said.

“These are our expectations and we believe that they are not unrealistic, but of course the final decision lies in the European Commission and European Council”, he added.

Montenegro submitted its application for EU membership in December 2008, and the European Commission is in the process of preparing its opinion on the country's application. A positive opinion on Montenegro's readiness to join the EU will pave the way for the launching of membership talks between Brussels and Podgorica.

Djukanovic’s visit to Brussels is his first since the country's Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union entered into force on May 1 this year. Montenegro will now take part in the so-called Stabilization and Association Council. The first meeting in this format will be held at the ministerial level next week in Luxembourg.

Source -- BIRN

1 comment:

DerpDuck said...: Great post thankyou; 5:42 PM

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New York Times article published May 21, 1911

"ALBANIAN JOAN OF ARC: Handsome Heroine Takes Father's Place and Vanquishes Turks" – Cetinja, May 21, 1911 - A young girl, whose first name corresponds to that of the given name of the Maid of Orleans, is now being sung in the songs of the Montenegrin bards in the inns and coffee houses in Podgorica. When at the battle of Vranje last week, her father, the hereditary commander of his clan, fell, she immediately stepped to his place and led the Martinajs to victory against the Turks. Aside from the romantic phase of the affair, for Janitza Martinaj (Tringa e Grudes) is very beautiful, the battle is important as showing that the Montenegrins on the frontier had joined with the Albanians. According to a person who is well acquainted with her, this new Joan of Arc is “a tall, handsome, well-developed young woman. All the Albanian women are brave, and are trained from their girlhood to the use of firearms, and in times of war, as there are no mules, they carry the provisions and ammunition for their soldiers and go into the firing line to distribute them.” “And are sometimes killed?” “Yes, often that happens.” Janitza would probably have carried a Martini rifle; or, as many of the Marininis were collected last year by the Turks, her weapon may perhaps have been one of the old-fashioned Albanian rifles, which are handsomely decorated with silver and have very long, narrow barrels. Shooting is almost the only amusement of the young men and women in Albania. Both boys and girls learn to shoot when they are 12 years old. At weddings the parties amuse themselves by dancing and shooting: at christenings shootings is again the principal amusement – firing at large targets for some little prize – and at festivals there is shooting all day long. It’s one of the great difficulties that Turks have to contend with, for it is part of the national life; the people use their rifles by day and sleep with them by their side by night. The custom has grown up with the prevailing insecurity from vendettas at home and border troubles abroad. Physically, the Albanians are the finest race in Europe. Their women are handsome, with dark hair, though their eyes are sometimes gray. To see them walk is a delight. We like to see the ballet in Servia. The first time I saw the Albanians walk it gave me just the same pleasure. Their movements are so graceful, elegance and strength together. Yes, they are a very fine and very gifted race. They are like the Scots in the 17th century, and they will be by and by the finest race, intellectually as well as physically, in the Balkans. If you go to Constantinople you will find that many of the finest men, not only soldiers but also statesmen are Albanians. Their fault, due to their present degree of civilization, is that they cannot grasp the idea of State. The clan is their highest organization; they are unable to see the importance of combining the clan with the higher organization of making a state. But that will come.

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Thursday, June 10, 2010

Djukanovic Meets with EU Officials in Brussels

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