Waitz: New arrangement would allow presence in the European Parliament without a ratified treaty, but not voting rights

We still have a few issues to discuss. We are just a few centimetres away from the finish line -Chair of the European Parliament’s EU - Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, Thomas Waitz, said at the Parliament of Montenegro.

He believes work on drafting the accession treaty will begin soon and, as he emphasised, the main task of his colleagues from the European Parliament (EP) will be to advocate for its swift signing and ratification.

- We needed the consent of all 27 member states to establish that working group. In other words, they all said yes... The Commission has devised a new arrangement, which is a positive step and which, I hope, will be adopted in time. This new arrangement will allow you to participate in European elections even if ratification has not yet been completed, and to send Members of the European Parliament. They will be able to address Parliament and take their seats, but they will not be able to vote, as that right is reserved for full members... If this regulation is adopted, you may even be able to have a Commissioner with the same rights. You will be involved in our everyday life and work even before becoming a full member - Waitz said.

Democratic maturity

He said he had been impressed by Montenegro’s commitment.

- We have a saying: don’t celebrate before the big day. But we have practically reached the point of signing the treaty... The speed of the reforms you have implemented over the past two or three years is impressive. I must express my respect for MPs from both the ruling majority and the opposition who managed to reach agreement on all the major decisions that required a two-thirds majority - he said.

As he emphasised, such democratic maturity is not something we see at all times in every European Union member state or in countries across the region.

- And thank you. Montenegro’s accession to the EU is not important only for Montenegro; it is equally important for the EU. We want to be able to welcome you as a full member. This is a two-way process, and we can be happy and proud of the reforms you have managed to implement. Is everything perfect in Montenegro? No, it isn’t. Is everything perfect in any other EU country? No, it isn’t. This is about the daily work of meeting citizens’ needs, implementing laws and ensuring that our institutions function as they are supposed to - Waitz said.

As he pointed out, laws must be adopted and functional institutions must be in place, capable of exercising their powers.

- And these are steps you have taken - Waitz stressed.

Accession negotiations to be completed by the end of the year

Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević said she firmly believed that Montenegro had a solid basis for concluding its accession negotiations by the end of the year.

- Through intensive reform efforts, we have fulfilled the requirements for the provisional closure of all negotiating chapters and further strengthened our legislative and institutional framework. While fully respecting the role of the member states, we believe that the results achieved pave the way for the conclusion of negotiations by the end of 2026, so that in 2028 we can become the EU’s 28th member - Gorčević said.

Since the previous meeting, the number of provisionally closed negotiating chapters has increased from 14 to 21.

- This brings us one step away from provisionally closing two-thirds of the 33 chapters. This progress is the result of demanding reforms, strong coordination among institutions and continued cooperation with the European Commission. Now that we have fulfilled our obligations in the remaining open chapters, I expect these efforts to be recognised through decisions that will enable the successful conclusion of the negotiation process - she said.

No time to waste

Ireland’s Ambassador to Montenegro, Kevin Colgan, speaking on behalf of his country’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, said that enlargement was a key priority of Ireland’s presidency.

- We are determined to achieve the greatest possible progress with all candidate countries. In recent strategic discussions, the European Council emphasised the continued importance of enlargement as a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity - he said.

Both future member states and the EU, he stressed, must be ready for the moment of accession.

- Countries aspiring to membership must continue implementing reforms, particularly in the area of the rule of law, in line with the principle that progress should be assessed on the basis of merit. In this context, I would like to congratulate Montenegro on provisionally closing three more chapters two weeks ago. The total now stands at 21 closed chapters, including five during Ireland’s presidency, and you are now one step closer to the finish line. We will continue to organise intergovernmental conferences as frequently as possible, in line with the pace at which negotiating chapters are provisionally closed - he said.

Colgan emphasised that this progress demonstrated Montenegro’s determination to advance its reform agenda.

- We encourage you to keep going. There is no time to waste if we are to meet the ambitious timetable you have committed to. Your progress confirms that reforms that deliver results also demonstrate that enlargement works - Colgan said.

More intergovernmental conferences before the end of the year

The European Union’s Ambassador to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, also said that more intergovernmental conferences would be held before the end of the year, with the aim of closing all negotiating chapters.

- That goal is achievable, just as EU membership is. In April, this committee called on the European Union to do its part. The Council has established a working group to draft the accession treaty, and the Commission has adopted a financial package, marking another concrete step towards Montenegro’s accession. The European Union and Montenegro are preparing in parallel, and a significant number of high-level visits and events demonstrate precisely that commitment. Montenegro successfully hosted the EU-Western Balkans Summit in June, and we also held an important summit as part of the Berlin Process two weeks ago. I believe these events have brought the European Union closer to the citizens of Montenegro - he said.

Sattler added that, at an investment conference in Herceg Novi, investors had signed 14 memoranda of cooperation and discussed 10 priority projects.

- So the message is clear: we are moving from partnerships to projects. More than 300 European companies took part, and investors are now exploring opportunities to invest in Montenegro because they see it as the European Union’s next member - Sattler said.

He noted that significant progress had been made in Parliament over the summer.

- I believe you responded to the call not to allow short-term divisions to jeopardise progress. You found solutions to serious problems, and I think this demonstrates the strength of democratic processes in this country. Not all the work has been completed... My view may differ from Thomas’s on whether we are talking about metres or centimetres, but there is still some work to do, including constitutional amendments. These are difficult for every country, and Montenegro is no exception - Sattler said.

A matter of life or death

The European Parliament’s standing rapporteur for Montenegro Marjan Šarec said that everything achieved so far provided a solid foundation for the final stretch of the marathon.

- I agree that these final kilometres or metres are decisive. I think it would be premature to raise our hands in victory. We must all put in even more effort to complete this process, which is of the utmost importance for Montenegro. To put it bluntly, this is a matter of life or death. We must not forget that ratification lies ahead, and that will be a lengthy process. Montenegro must demonstrate its full readiness and political unity to achieve this goal and prove that it is a country worthy of EU membership - Šarec said.

The European Union, he noted, is not a perfect construct, but there is certainly no better alternative.

- Gather all the strength you have to achieve this goal - he said.