Leaders' Press conference by Milojko SPAJIĆ, Montenegrin Prime Minister and Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

European Commissioner Olivér VÁRHELYI in Montenegro

Thank you very much.

I want to pre-empt questions. So, I talk first about the Interim Benchmarks. I understand that this is a very highly discussed topic in the public in Montenegro.

So, what I can tell you is that we are working very closely with the Government. We are very-very close. Although we are not there yet, we still need some decisions, especially in the Parliament there are still outstanding laws to be passed. But other than that, if the Government is able to deliver, as it has been delivering since the beginning of this mandate, I'm very hopeful that we will have a very successful Intergovernmental Conference still before the summer, where we can conclude that the Interim Benchmarks are met. But as I said, we are not there yet. Work still needs to be done.

Now about today. I'm very happy to come to Kotor after two months from Tirana and to state already that the Growth Plan is no longer a draught, it is alive and kicking.

Growth Plan is not only bringing the Western Balkans into the European Union but provides already the benefits before joining the European Union, that only Member States can enjoy. And this is I think a key element of the Growth Plan, something that we discussed at length.

And I'm also very happy to see that the areas where the Balkans would want to join the European Union already before an accession this year, are moving ahead.

The first one was the Single Euro Payment Area. If I want to simplify it for you; currently if you want to send €200 to Montenegro from the EU or the other way around, you are losing €14. Which is a huge amount in proportion and we could drive this down to less than a euro. And I think it speaks for itself. It is an immense change also for the businesses and not to mention the citizens who have families working in in Europe.

The other element, I think, which is very important, is that the Balkans work as a region. Because the Balkans, country by country, are of course tremendously important for the European Union but the Balkans can only enjoy the full benefit and potential of the Growth Plan if it works as one region.

Again, to return to the SEPA. A market over half a million people of Montenegro might not be so interesting for company. But if they can make sure that through the SEPA, if they have a sister company in Tirana and Tirana is also implementing the SEPA, then the course between sending money between two companies in Tirana and Podgorica has to be the same as if they were doing it within the European Union; let's say between Wurzburg and La Rochelle, to give you one example. So, I think this came very strongly across today, as well that we should not forget about the common regional market as a huge potential for the region.

And on the broader political perspective for the Balkans, I think one has to be very clear. With everything we have done under this mandate, with all the tools through which we are now speeding up the real integration and with all the work the Government is doing to fast forward the institutional process of accession of Montenegro, you will have to see the next Commission to be an Enlargement Commission. Meaning that at the end of the mandate of the next Commission, the EU will be ready to receive new members. And these new members should include the whole of the Western Balkans.

Because by 2027, because of the Growth Plan, with the aid intensity that you have from the Economic and Investment Plan, with the Reform Agendas, with the additional funding, the Balkan will be ready or could be ready or could make itself ready to join the European Union.

So, I think it was a very positive meeting and I'm, I'm very hopeful that this also changes the regional approach here in the balance.

Thank you very much.