Ulrike Lunacek, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, I would also like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Tannock, for his very good cooperation and, also from our group, for a good report because it focuses on the fight against corruption and organised crime, the reform of the judiciary, media freedom, and all the things that are important – rights of minorities, gender equality and foreign policy. I also agree with what was said in the report, namely that Montenegro has made progress in recent years and I am glad that already 16 chapters have been opened.

Nevertheless, I would like to state here as well what is in this report because it says that the fight against corruption and organised crime is, and will be, the litmus test for an independent, efficient and professional judiciary in the country. I hope we will see more progress here in the future.

There are also positive things in the report and positive progress in the country with regard to an end to discrimination, where the Roma and LGBTI people are concerned. And yet hatred, hate speech and fear—mongering still exist. I would nevertheless like to say that I appreciate that the government of Montenegro has made very clear statements and also taken action in the fight against hatred against LGBTI people, and will be hosting a high-level ministerial meeting in Budva at the beginning of May on the fight against homophobia with European Union and enlargement countries.

There is one thing I would have especially liked to see more of in the report, and that is ecology and the environment. Of course, Montenegro’s Constitution states that it is an ecological state, and we appreciate that. But nevertheless, more than 25% of Europe’s biodiversity is in the Western Balkans, and the last remaining free—flowing rivers in Europe. So I really would appreciate it if the government of Montenegro would stop reconsidering plans to build hydropower plants, affecting wild rivers, without having first implemented the sustainable hydropower guiding principles of the Danube River Protection Convention.

Finally, I would like to thank Commissioner Hahn for his very clear statement that there is no doubt that the integration process will continue. For there is one amendment that we have proposed for all four reports where we regret that the now—President of the Commission, Mr Juncker, during the election campaign, said there would be no enlargement for the next five years. To conclude, I hope that we will not demotivate people in the region further, but really encourage them to go forward with the integration process.