Press statement by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Đukanović

Good afternoon. Today I was happy to receive the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, here in Brussels. The Prime Minister's trip to Brussels is a testimony of Montenegro's ambitions to become member of our European and trans-Atlantic family.

My message to you, dear Milo, today was simple yet strong: the EU remains fully committed to Montenegro's future in the European Union. With strong political commitment and determination on the Government's and Montenegro's side, the country will succeed.

For this to happen, I underlined that Montenegro needs to intensify its efforts with regard to legislative reforms and their effective implementation. This also covers the crucial area of rule of law. Particular attention should be given to further developing a solid track record in this area, including the fight against corruption.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed foreign policy. I welcomed Montenegro's role as a committed foreign policy partner for the European Union and expressed our appreciation for the country's full alignment with all of the EU's foreign policy positions. I encouraged the Prime Minister to maintain these efforts.

The same applies to regional cooperation, where Montenegro's positive and constructive role is an important contribution to the stability in the region.

The EU continues to attach great importance to the European perspective of the Western Balkans as a whole, and to Montenegro's European future.