Montenegro is set to close three chapters in its accession negotiations with the European Union next week: Chapter 3 (Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services), Chapter 4 (Free Movement of Capital) and Chapter 6 (Company Law). Although France blocked the closure of Chapters 11 (Agriculture and Rural Development) and 13 (Fisheries) at yesterday’s meeting of the EU Council Working Group on Enlargement (COELA), there remains a possibility that all member states will give the green light for these chapters at Monday’s meeting of the EU Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), the public broadcaster RTCG reports.
Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, Nikola Camaj, who’s also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, told the RTCG portal that he didn’t understand the French move as ill-intentioned.
“It’s not unusual for additional clarifications to be requested. I believe they’ll get all the answers and that this will resolve the dilemmas they had concerning the chapters. We’ll know more on Monday, and I hope for a positive outcome,” Mr Camaj said.
Minister of Agriculture, Vladimir Jokovic, stated his ministry had fulfilled all requirements set by the European Commission in the process of closing Chapters 11 and 13.
Minister Jokovic reminded that Montenegro had received a positive assessment from the EU Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the support of 26 member states.
“Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark all voted in favour… Why these chapters did not receive the support of France alone is a question to which we have no answer,” he told Antena M, explaining that no justification had been sent.
A source close to the EC told RTCG that officials in Brussels were surprised by France’s position. According to them, Montenegrin negotiators, after learning the outcome of the COELA meeting, immediately started intensive communication, adding that the issue might be linked to broader circumstances related to negotiations with other countries.
