Montenegro's PM Urges Consensus in EU Talks

Luksic told Radio Montenegro that the internal consensus reached on European integration has been one of the most important successes of the state, and must be maintained as Podgorica continues its path towards membership in the European bloc.

"This consensus must be preserved, and that's why I suggested to our chief negotiator in the upcoming EU accession talks, Alexander Pejovic, to perform the widest possible consultations before forming the negotiating team," Luksic explained.

The prime minister said that in addition to government officials, the team should include representatives of civil society and the country's academic and professional community.

"EU accession negotiations are a complex and a time-consuming task, and we will successfully finish the talks if we involve the entire Montenegrin society. It is in the best interests of Montenegro," Luksic said.

The European Union decided in December last year that Montenegro could begin accession negotiations in June 2012 if it fulfilled certain conditions regarding the rule of law.

Brussels, meanwhile, has said that lessons learnt from Croatia's experience will help the European Commission carry out successful negotiations with Montenegro.

Dirk Lange, in charge of Montenegro and Croatia at the EU Directorate General for Enlargement, said that Montenegro will open its accession talks with chapters 23 and 24, which relate to the rule of law, justice, freedom and fundamental rights.

Lange was in Podgorica to meet with Montenegrin officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Dusko Markovic.

He said that the Commission has been tasked with preparing the negotiation framework, screening legislation related to chapters 23 and 24, and drafting a report on the implementation of legislation as regards the chapters.

Minister Markovic, meanwhile, told Lange that the Government’s primary task in 2012 is to bring together a negotiation team and said that the names will probably be known in late January or early February.

He also stated that the broad structure of the negotiation team envisaged by the Government means that the team members, in addition to state officials, will come from the civil society, academia, and the expert community.

The officials agreed that in order to finalise the reform processes in the area of judiciary it is necessary to amend the constitution as suggested by the Venice Commission.