El Presidente. − El punto siguiente en el orden del día es el debate a partir de las Declaraciones del Consejo y de la Comisión sobre el Informe de 2012 relativo a los progresos realizados por Montenegro (2012/2860(RSP)).

  Lucinda Creighton, President-in-Office of the Council. − Mr President, honourable Members, thank you once again. When the Council assessed progress on enlargement at its meeting on 11 December 2012, as you know, it took a positive view of progress in Montenegro towards EU accession.

Specific issues highlighted included the strengthening of the functioning of the parliament, the judiciary, anti-corruption policy, human rights and the protection of rights of persons belonging to minorities.

The Council also noted that ongoing constitutional and public administration reforms had advanced. Montenegro has also continued to implement smoothly its obligations under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and to play a very positive role in the region, including through constructive involvement in developing regional cooperation.

Many of these issues are also reflected in your resolution, and I would like to take this opportunity to particularly thank the rapporteur, Charles Tannock, for his report and his very positive contribution to advancing Montenegro’s accession process.

Montenegro now needs to build on the progress it has achieved so far and consolidate its reform process. Particular attention needs to be paid to the further development of a solid track record in the area of the rule of law. Sustainable and lasting reform is needed, in particular with regard to tackling organised crime and cases of corruption, including at senior level. The Council has welcomed Europol’s report on the issue of organised crime in Montenegro. Further efforts are needed to ensure the accountability and independence of the judiciary and to strengthen the administrative capacity to implement the acquis.

Overall, the accession negotiations have got off to a very good start. The Cyprus Presidency was able to open the first of the negotiation chapters with Montenegro, namely Science and Research. I am pleased to say that the Irish Presidency has been able, in its turn, to open a second chapter, Education and Culture, at an accession conference which took place earlier this week. We will do our utmost over the coming months to achieve further progress in the negotiations, including, if possible, the opening of a further chapter.

We are satisfied that, in parallel with the negotiations, the screening process is continuing to make very good progress. In December the EU completed its screening of the key rule-of-law chapters, which cover the Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, and Justice, Freedom and Security. Montenegro has been invited to prepare the required action plans which constitute the opening benchmarks for these chapters. We do not expect to open negotiations on these chapters during the Irish Presidency. The preparatory work needed must be of a very high quality, and this means that it will take some time. However, we will continue to encourage Montenegro to take this work forward as quickly as possible. This should allow it to tackle these chapters at an early stage in the enlargement process and to start developing a solid track record on the reform agenda, which of course is very important to the Council and, I believe, to Parliament as well.

We would hope to see Montenegro submit the required action plans during our Presidency in order to allow for consideration of these issues by the Council, and we are certainly urging them to do that.

So you will appreciate that there is a great deal to be done during our Presidency. It is important to keep up the very positive momentum that we have seen in recent months, and I can absolutely assure you of the Irish Presidency’s commitment to making as much progress as possible in these negotiations.

I would like to end by acknowledging and expressing again my appreciation for the work of Parliament, and of your rapporteur, in helping to take forward Montenegro’s accession process. I very much welcome the close cooperation between our two institutions, and I look forward to continuing to hear your views and taking into account your particular expertise as we move these negotiations forward.

  Štefan Füle, Member of the Commission. − Mr President, I would like to express my gratitude to the rapporteur for Montenegro, Charles Tannock, for this draft resolution. It reflects well the findings of the 2012 Progress Report on the country.

Montenegro continues to make great progress on its path towards the European Union. The decision to open accession negotiations last June opened a new chapter in the history of the country’s place in Europe.

In the meantime we have entered the substantive stage of the accession negotiations. The screening process of all chapters is under way. We were able to provisionally close Chapter 25, Science and Research, in December, and Chapter 26, Education and Culture, just three days ago. We have started with the chapters relating to the rule of law, in line with the new approach, and we will maintain this focus. I would at this point like to congratulate the Irish Presidency for an excellent job done.

I would like to make four remarks about the main challenges that lie ahead.

Firstly, priority needs to be given to the completion of the ongoing constitutional reform to ensure the independence and accountability of the judiciary, in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Finalising this reform will be crucial to making progress in the accession negotiations.

Secondly, some progress has been made in the fight against corruption and organised crime, but the number of investigations, prosecutions and indictments remains low.

Thirdly, full compliance with European standards in the area of fundamental rights is essential for Montenegro to move ahead with its European integration. The protection of media freedom needs to be ensured. We call on the Montenegrin authorities, at all levels, to step up their efforts to investigate and prosecute current and past cases of violence against journalists.

Fourthly, further efforts are needed to improve the situation of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities and of displaced persons by ensuring access to their civil and political rights and their economic and social rights.

Our dialogue with Montenegro on these outstanding challenges will continue and intensify during the negotiations.

Allow me to make a brief remark regarding the recent presidential elections, which are being contested. Montenegro is a country negotiating for European Union membership. Any complaints need to be dealt with swiftly. The election result must be beyond reproach. I am confident that Montenegro’s political leaders will take measures to reinforce the credibility of public institutions as well as their independence from party political interests.

  Charles Tannock, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, it has been my great privilege to act as Montenegro’s standing rapporteur for this Parliament. Montenegro is a small but beautiful country with much to contribute to the world’s stage and is undoubtedly a success story in the long and tortuous narrative of Western Balkan European accession. Indeed, the smooth conduct of the science and educational chapters in the negotiations so far is not only a testament to Montenegro’s progress, it also offers a real signal to the Western Balkan neighbours that enlargement does not stop with Croatia’s accession and that EU membership can be extended to several other countries, provided they meet the right conditions.

Despite the overall positive outlook, however, we cannot overlook some problems in Montenegro’s accession process. I have reservations about the independence and accountability of the judiciary and some of the training of the judiciary, in addition to the length of court procedures. The legal framework through chapters 23 and 24 in the negotiations must also be strengthened to target corruption and organised crime, and one idea is to introduce an enforceable code of conduct for all elected politicians. This would be very helpful.

The Montenegrin Parliament in general must be more involved in the negotiations, as must the NGOs and civil society.

There are concerns about the freedom of the media. Recent allegations made by Montenegrin journalists have alarmed many of us. All attacks against journalists must be rigorously investigated and prosecuted.

Finally, I congratulate President Vujanović on his re-election as President of Montenegro. I know that there have been complaints and allegations about the results, but I have not seen any evidence that firmly suggests anything other than a close, free and fair election. I therefore call on all political forces to participate now in the parliament in a spirit of open, rational and democratic discourse, not least so that they can all cooperate on the country’s eventual EU accession, so that the legitimate aspirations of this small and beautiful country, as I always call it, can eventually be realised and so that Montenegro will join the family of European nations within the European Union.

PRESIDE: ALEJO VIDAL-QUADRAS
Vicepresidente

  Anna Ibrisagic, för PPE-gruppen. – Herr talman! Herr kommissionär! Dagen innan beslutet skulle fattas om Montenegro skulle få börja förhandlingarna eller inte, satt jag och talade med några av de människor som skulle besluta om detta. Då fanns det några som sa att Montenegro inte är klart med reformerna, att kampen mot korruption och organiserad brottlighet inte är på den nivå som vi skulle vilja se när ett land blir medlem, och att väldigt mycket återstår när det gäller olika reformer.

Mina, och några andras, argument var att vi just därför borde starta förhandlingar. Det är just då vi kommer att ha mest möjlighet att påverka landet och få till stånd de förändringar vi vill se.

Landet började sen förhandla, och det blev just så. Tack vare det genialiska draget från er, herr kommissionär, att besluta att alla framtida förhandlingar skulle starta med kapitlen 22 och 23. Jag vet att ni gjorde väldigt mycket i väldigt många länder under er mandatperiod, men om det finns en sak som jag kommer att minnas er för så är det just det här beslutet, för jag tycker att det var det absolut bästa som kunde hända för hela regionen och alla de länder som startar förhandlingar. Inte för att straffa dem, utan för att ge dem möjlighet att under en lång period ha tillräcklig tid för att få de här förändringarna till stånd.

När det gäller presidentvalet så skulle jag instämma i det som herr Charles Tannock just sa. OECE-kommissionen har haft en rapport, och enligt den rapporten var valen fria och rättvisa, och än så länge har jag inte sett någon annan officiell rapport än just denna.

Jag skulle vilja uppmana parterna och båda kandidaterna att acceptera det som var officiellt resultat, och att lösa resterande oklarheter på ett konstruktiv sätt och inom institutionerna, och enbart inom institutionerna, därför att på det sättet kommer de att visa både sitt och sitt lands politiska mognad. Det är det som till slut kommer att räknas när vi på allvar börjar se Montenegro som en fullständig medlem av vår familj.

  Libor Rouček, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, colleagues, friends, obviously after 1 July, when Croatia enters the EU, Montenegro will be the frontrunner in the Western Balkan enlargement process. Montenegro stands as a clear example to the rest of the region that progress towards accession is achievable if the country concentrates on reform.

However, even though it is on the right track, Montenegro still has a long way to go. It must step up its efforts to consolidate an impartial and efficient judiciary and extend the fight against corruption. It should also ensure that the public administration is depoliticised and merit-based, with a view to creating an institutional foundation for the implementation of reforms in all other sectors.

I also think it should dispel concerns over problems in the area of media freedom. The ability of journalists to freely criticise those in power is a fundamental right and a European value. After all, free and critical media provide the kind of feedback that is necessary for effective governance.

Finally, I think that Montenegro should remain focused on reforms and European integration. This should be the priority for all major political parties. In other words, when there are elections and after elections, they should not be distracted by other local issues in the country.

Overall, my group supports the enlargement process. We support it, and we would like to see Montenegro given a fast track if it delivers. Thank you very much.

  Ivo Vajgl, v imenu skupine ALDE. – Pred dvema dnevoma je bilo, kot je ministrica prej povedala, na sestanku pristopne konference s Črno goro v Bruslju, odprto in provizorično zaprto drugo pogajalsko poglavje, poglavje 26 – izobraževanje in kultura.

Mislim, da ima to tudi nek simboličen pomen, saj to poglavje odpira mladim Črnogorcem in Črnogorkam dostop do atraktivnih programov, kot je Erasmus Mundus, Tempus in še nekaj drugih, ki jih povezuje s svetom.

Napredek v pogajanjih je bil možen zaradi ocene, da je Črna gora na tem področju že odlično pripravljena – tudi po zaslugi irskega predsedovanja.

Predlog resolucije, ki jo je pripravil kolega Charles Tannock, govori o napredku Črne gore tudi na nekaterih drugih, za članstvo v Evropski uniji ključnih področjih.

Vendar pa tudi dovolj resno in konkretno opozarja na številna področja, kjer mora Črna gora opraviti še veliko dela – reforme pravosodja, zagotavljanje neodvisnosti sodstva in tožilcev, nadaljevanje sistematičnega boja proti korupciji, vzpostavljanje moderne javne uprave, posodobitev komuniciranja s civilno družbo in socialnega dialoga, gospodarske reforme.

Nedavne predsedniške volitve, ki so po ocenah opazovalcev potekale v skladu z demokratičnimi standardi, so razkrile občutljivo razdeljenost črnogorske družbe, pretežno po etničnih in verskih mejah.

Ker bo to še dolgo stalnica in značilnost Črne gore, je pomembno poudarjati politično kulturo, sposobno za sprejemanje kompromisov in spoštovanje različnosti. Odnos do istospolnih skupnosti je v Črni gori pogosto diskriminacijski, in to ni sprejemljivo.

Spoštovani kolegi, ko govorim o Črni gori kot relativno neproblematični, bodoči članici Evropske unije, je treba vsekakor izpostaviti vlogo te majhne, toda države z močnim značajem pri stabilizaciji razmer v širši regiji.

Z veseljem bomo spremljali razvoj Črne gore v prihodnjem obdobju.

  Ulrike Lunacek, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, Montenegro is a very beautiful country – this has been said before. It has diverse landscapes, diverse peoples, and diverse traditions. It is rich in diversity, but it also needs to work at preserving this beauty. It has the term ‘ecological country’ in its constitution, but I think it still needs to work more on, for example, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and also on tourism to preserve the beauty in its country.

It needs to thrive on its diversity and to make sure that democracy and the rule of law are working in the best interests of its citizens. I and my political group welcome the fact that Montenegro will be the next country to negotiate accession to the European Union. It is great that Croatia will be joining soon. It is very important that the next country is already lining up, and I hope others will come soon.

Nevertheless, there are some critical points which I would like to raise, to follow on from some of the criticism which has already been expressed.

Two aspects especially are of concern to me and my group. One is the independence and freedom of the media. I would like to mention a specific case in which two journalists are now facing a lawsuit filed against them by the Prime Minister’s sister for what they wrote about allegations of her involvement in the privatisation of Telecom. This needs to be followed closely, and I think it raises concerns if things like this happen.

The second is the reference to the recent presidential elections. These were strongly contested by all opposition parties and also by many NGOs, and I think it is extremely important for Montenegro to show its democracy and ensure that a thorough and transparent investigation into all these allegations is carried out, free from ruling political party interests. I hope, colleagues, that I will get your support on this amendment and a couple of others tomorrow.

  Νικόλαος Χουντής, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας GUE/NGL. – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, είναι γεγονός ότι η υπόθεση για την ένταξη του Μαυροβουνίου είναι από τις εύκολες περιπτώσεις διεύρυνσης από τις χώρες των Βαλκανίων. Όμως, υπάρχουν πάρα πολλά ερωτηματικά αν όλη αυτή η διαδικασία αποβλέπει στην ευημερία των πολιτών. Πράγματι, το Μαυροβούνιο πληροί αρκετά από τα ενταξιακά κριτήρια. Πράγματι, πρέπει, έτσι και αλλιώς, να λυθούν προβλήματα που καταγράφει η έκθεση. Όμως, δεν βελτιώνεται η κατάσταση του λαού του Μαυροβουνίου και η καθημερινότητα. Η ανεργία αυξάνεται συνεχώς σύμφωνα με επίσημα στοιχεία. Υπάρχει ανεργία, ανέχεια, υπάρχει φτώχεια και υπάρχουν ανάλογα κοινωνικά προβλήματα.

Τα μέτρα που λαμβάνονται, υποτίθεται για να αντιμετωπιστούν αυτά τα ζητήματα, είναι: ανεξέλεγκτες ξένες επενδύσεις που έχουν μεταβάλει το Μαυροβούνιο σε μια από τις πιο σημαντικές χώρες όπου ξεπλένεται μαύρο χρήμα.

Δεύτερον, επενδύσεις και ιδιωτικοποιήσεις που συνεπάγονται ξεπούλημα του δημόσιου πλούτου.

Τρίτον, επενδύσεις, καταστροφικές για το περιβάλλον, που είναι ένα συγκριτικό πλεονέκτημα για ήπια τουριστική ανάπτυξη.

Τα οικονομικά κριτήρια που προτείνονται για να αντιμετωπιστεί αυτή η κατάσταση και αυτά που ζητούνται είναι στην ίδια κατεύθυνση. Πρέπει να ξέρουμε ότι αυτή η πορεία που έδινε κάποιες ελπίδες στους λαούς των Βαλκανίων έχει διαψευστεί λόγω της οικονομικής κρίσης στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και οι λαοί αυτοί δεν βλέπουν πια αυτό το όραμα ως τόσο ελκυστικό. Επομένως, υπάρχει εδώ ένα πολύ σημαντικό θέμα που αφορά το τι ζητάμε και προς πια κατεύθυνση ζητούμε να λυθούν και τούτα επίσης τα προβλήματα και όχι μόνο αυτά που αναφέρονται, για τα οποία συμφωνώ απολύτως.

  Eduard Kukan (PPE). - Najskôr by som sa chcel poďakovať spravodajcovi Charlesovi Tannockovi za prípravu dobrej a kvalitnej správy.

Čierna Hora je v súčasnosti lídrom integračného procesu na Balkáne. To treba náležite oceniť. Otvorenie prístupových rokovaní posilnilo v tejto krajine dôležité reformné procesy. Chcel by som preto vyzvať čiernohorských politikov, aby pokračovali v týchto reformách. Práca, ktorá ich stále čaká, sa dotýka najmä boja proti korupcii a organizovanému zločinu. Tu bude treba prijať dôležité opatrenia na posilnenie transparentnosti pri financovaní politických strán a politických kampaní a na prehĺbenie vyšetrovania prípadov korupcie. Dôležitý posun v politických a ekonomických kritériách, ktoré krajina dosiahla, treba prehĺbiť a vytvoriť stabilný demokratický systém. Politická elita Čiernej Hory musí na tom stále pracovať. Preto situácia, ktorá nastala po prezidentských voľbách, je dôležitým pripomenutím si toho, ako citlivý je tento problém. Z jednej strany treba čo najskôr vyjasniť všetky sporné otázky súvisiace s týmito voľbami, ale na druhej strane treba jasne povedať, že bojkot parlamentu nie je správnym riešením.

Na záver by som chcel ešte raz pripomenúť, že prístupové rokovania Čiernej Hory sú dôležitým pozitívnym signálom pre ostatné krajiny regiónu. Komisia by mala preto byť dôrazná a dôsledne a stále klásť dôraz na plnenie kodanských kritérií.

  Boris Zala (S&D) - Často počúvam názor, že prístupové rokovania s Čiernou Horou sú jednoduchou záležitosťou. Predstava, že cesta Čiernej Hory do EÚ bude jednoduchá a úplne bezproblémová, je falošná. Je dôležité na to upozorniť. Pravda je taká, že po vstupe Chorvátska bude prístupový proces každej ďalšej krajiny ešte náročnejší, pravidlá ešte prísnejšie a otvorenosť členských krajín voči rozšíreniu ešte slabšia. Súhlasím so spravodajcom Charlesom Tannockom. Čierna Hora nesmie poľaviť v reformách, najmä v oblasti súdnictva a boja s korupciou, či problémy v oblasti slobody médií musia byť odstránené. Čierna Hora si nemôže dovoliť rôzne politické krízy či spochybňovanie výsledkov volieb. Krajina je síce na dobrej ceste a je jasným lídrom v regióne, ako tu konštatoval môj predrečník. Ale nesmie situáciu podceniť, to je najväčšie riziko jej eurointegračného procesu.

Intervenciones con arreglo al procedimiento de solicitud incidental de uso de la palabra («catch the eye»)

  Janusz Władysław Zemke (S&D). - Na proces przystępowania Czarnogóry do Unii Europejskiej można się patrzeć w dwojaki sposób. Oceny można dokonywać przez pryzmat formalno-prawny lub przez pryzmat polityczny. Jeśli chodzi o stronę prawną, to odnotowujemy tutaj bardzo mozolne postępy w zmianie systemu prawa w walce z korupcją w Czarnogórze. Odnotowujemy także większą niezależność sądów i większą swobodę działania środków masowego przekazu. Jest jednak także druga płaszczyzna – moim zdaniem szczególnie ważna w przypadku tego państwa. Wiąże się bowiem ona z zapewnieniem Europie bezpieczeństwa. Najważniejsze jest tutaj to, że Czarnogóra ewidentnie poprawia i stabilizuje sytuację na Bałkanach. Ma to kluczowe znaczenie w regionie o trudnej historii, w regionie, gdzie często były konflikty i wojny.

  Andreas Mölzer (NI). - Herr Präsident! Die Handhabung eines Wahlprozesses mag ja Aufschluss über die demokratische Reife eines Landes geben. Was da aber an Wahlmanipulationen und Pannen passiert ist, spricht jedenfalls nicht gerade für Montenegro, zumindest wenn man den einschlägigen Berichten glaubt. Feststeht, dass Podgorica sein lange Zeit so engagiert verfolgtes Ziel der EU-Mitgliedschaft offenbar ein wenig aus den Augen verloren hat. Ein ganzes Jahr lang war das Land ja fast ausschließlich mit Wahlen beschäftigt, zuerst mit den Parlamentswahlen, dann mit den Präsidentschaftswahlen.

Die notwendigen Reformen dürfen aber nicht länger vernachlässigt werden. Es ist meines Erachtens hoch an der Zeit, dass die Arbeit in den Bereichen politischer Einflussnahme auf die Justiz, in Bezug auf die Medienfreiheit und Korruption wieder aufgenommen wird. Es ist wichtig, dass Montenegro weitere Anstrengungen zur Erreichung der EU-Standards in den Bereichen Justiz, Korruptionsbekämpfung und Minderheitenschutz unternimmt. Nur so kann es sich seine europäische Perspektive erhalten.

Tatsächlich sollte der nunmehrige Beitritt Kroatiens ja nicht das Ende der europäischen Integration auf dem Balkan sein. Die anderen postjugoslawischen Staaten sollten folgen.

  Jelko Kacin (ALDE). - Čestitam poročevalcu, Črni gori in Evropski komisiji za pravkar zaprto poglavje 26.

Štiri odprta in dve že zaprti poglavji so dokaz dobre organiziranosti in uspešnega delovanja države, a nekatere institucije so blokirane. Ne gre za predsednika države, za parlament in njegova delovna telesa gre.

Še ta mesec je predvideno zasedanje skupnega pridružitvenega odbora EU-Črna gora. Ne vidim utemeljenih razlogov za blokado skupščine s strani opozicije.

Črna gora ni ne Albanija, ne Makedonija, ampak uspešna pogajalka, ki se reformira. Bojkot in blokada skupščine sta napačno sporočilo v napačnem trenutku.

Če bi radi aktivirali parlament le za dialog z Evropskim parlamentom, odgovarjam, da to tako ne gre.

Probleme je potrebno reševati institucionalno in v parlamentarni demokraciji je to predvsem parlament.

(Fin de las intervenciones con arreglo al procedimiento de solicitud incidental de uso de la palabra («catch the eye»))

  Štefan Füle, Member of the Commission. − Mr President, let me conclude my remarks by reiterating my congratulations to the rapporteur, Charles Tannock, for his high-quality report.

By acknowledging the progress already made, a well-balanced message has been sent that should encourage Montenegro to step up reforms on the path to the European Union.

Following the screening meetings held in spring last year, the Commission has prepared the screening reports for negotiating the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights, and justice, freedom and security – Chapters 23 and 24 – and Montenegro was invited by the Council in December to prepare the required action plans and the opening benchmarks for both chapters. The progress of Montenegro in addressing the challenges in these rule-of-law-related chapters will determine the overall pace of negotiations.

The accession negotiations will be a very demanding process for Montenegro, but I am sure that, with our common support and Montenegro’s strong commitment to the country’s future in the European Union, Montenegro will continue to implement European Union-related reforms for the benefit of its citizens and to set a positive example in the Western Balkans.

  Lucinda Creighton, President-in-Office of the Council. − Mr President, honourable Members, I would like to begin by supporting Mr Tannock’s view that Montenegro is a small and beautiful country. In fact it is quite breathtaking, and I completely concur that it is a country which has a huge amount to contribute to our European family. I look forward to that happening in due course.

Accession is obviously a very complex, difficult, demanding and sometimes frustrating process; that is clear. There is no denying that the new applicants for EU membership are being held to a higher account than their predecessors, not least due to the increase in the scope and depth of the acquis. But I believe that this is not something to fear; rather it is a positive opportunity both for the candidate country – Montenegro – and the existing EU Member States.

The negotiating framework for Montenegro puts into effect this new approach, which sees progress achieved on the rule-of-law chapters linked to overall progress in the accession negotiations. I think it is working quite well.

For this reason, the rule of law chapters are being tackled early in the negotiations in order to allow the maximum amount of time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and, of course, a solid track record of implementation before negotiations are closed. This very much lends itself to the whole idea of credibility in the enlargement process, and that is something which I consider to be very positive.

The success of the accession negotiations will depend primarily on Montenegro itself. However, we stand ready to help in every way we can. We look forward to continuing close cooperation with you – our friends in the European Parliament – during the Presidency, not only with regard to Montenegro’s accession process but also with the other candidates. Indeed we will continue in that cooperative spirit, I hope, long beyond our Presidency.

We count on your support here in the European Parliament and your partnership, in particular to maintain the support of our citizens in what is a very important common endeavour, as I mentioned earlier.

Thank you again for an excellent debate, thank you for the spirit of cooperation and positivity here in the Chamber, and thank you for your attention.

  El Presidente. − Para cerrar el debate se ha presentado una propuesta de resolución⁽¹⁾ de conformidad con el artículo 110, apartado 2, del Reglamento.

Se cierra el debate.

La votación tendrá lugar mañana, a las 11.30 horas.