Đenero: Without respect for the rule of law and succession of military property, Croatia will not lift the blockade of Chapter 31
The Croatian Government has formed a commission for the return of the training ship „Jadran“ and the succession of military property which is, as stated, one of the preconditions for closing Chapter 31, which Croatia blocked for our country in December last year.
Croatian political analyst Davor Đenero told Antena M that the commission established by the Croatian Government for the return of the training ship „Jadran“ is composed in an extremely serious and professional manner.
- It includes Croatia’s leading international law expert, currently the State Secretary for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Ministry’s chief legal adviser, Ms Metelko Zgombić. There is also, for example, a very experienced civil servant from the Ministry of Defence, who has been dealing with the succession of military property for years and is an exceptionally serious expert in that field - Đenero said.
The Antena M interlocutor stressed that this is not a political body, but a highly professional expert commission.
It is evident, he noted, that Croatia is not satisfied with what has been achieved in bilateral talks, which, Đenero underlined, were conducted in good faith on the Montenegrin side, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by the Minister’s adviser Ranko Krivokapić.
- Despite the fact that there was evident progress in those talks, it is clear that without the implementation of the principles of the rule of law and respect for the principles of succession when it comes to military property - namely the training ship „Jadran“ - Croatia does not intend to relent in withdrawing its reservation related to the chapter on the Common Foreign and Security Policy - Đenero pointed out.
Speaking about the five chapters that were closed, Đenero emphasized that we must be aware that what happened in Brussels in recent days sends a rather unpleasant signal to Montenegro.
- Just as it is evident that Defence Minister Krapović, unlike the Minister of Foreign Affairs is systematically obstructing negotiations related to the military aspect of Montenegro’s integration into the EU, it is also clear that the Minister of Agriculture -who, coincidentally, comes from the „For the Future of Montenegro“ coalition, that is the Democratic Front, more precisely from the Socialist People’s Party - is harming the closing of the chapters on agriculture and fisheries, which are extremely important and sensitive from the perspective of the EU budget - the Croatian analyst stated.
Given that this chapter closing is temporary anyway, Đenero pointed out that it was possible to achieve the withdrawal of the French reservation for the time being and create the impression that all five chapters had been closed, although, as he explained, this is not actually the case, since shortcomings in Montenegro’s legal system related to agriculture and fisheries still need to be addressed.
- This needs to be done as soon as possible, during the course of next year - Đenero stressed.
It is evident, he warned, that with such an administration and such internal obstructions, Montenegro will find it very difficult next year to close even 20 negotiating chapters.
- The problem with Croatia is not a bilateral problem. It is a problem related to respect for the rule of law. Montenegro must change its current rather relaxed attitude toward accession negotiations, and if it wants to conclude the accession negotiations next year, it must approach them much more seriously, with far more competent people than it has had so far, and exclude from these negotiations all those who can be known in advance to be inclined to obstruct the accession process - Đenero concluded.