Debate contributions by Marjan ŠAREC

Of course I agree with you. I mentioned my country as an example of helping the country to build a system, i.e. also in formal law matters, and the way in which protection and rescue itself is organised as a system. Of course, I agree with you that Croatia has also helped and, of course, many other countries, and it is certainly never so good that it could not have been better.

Mr President. We had a discussion on the topic of wildfires in July and today on the threshold of autumn we find that nature showed us our teeth again. It is not always just about nature, but in every society there are individuals who also set fires. Regardless of the origin of the fires, the consequences are the same. Destroyed hectares of land, people's property and, irreparably, lost lives. However, it must be said that the European mechanism works well, as does solidarity between countries. Fires, however, do not choose between Member States and those that have not yet done so. I will mention Montenegro because I followed the fires up close there, and I have to say that EU assistance has been very effective. In the future, we must help such countries to build an even more effective system of protection and relief, which does not only relate to financial resources, but also includes our know-how. Slovenia, which itself has a good system, is already doing this. Of course, it is best to ensure prevention, but when fires occur, it is necessary to have a well-functioning system of the country itself, and at the same time rapid assistance from the European Union at the request of the affected country.

Madam President, today it is crucial that we, as a society, become more resilient to any potential threats to our population. This includes preparedness for natural disasters. The EU crisis preparedness strategy also talks about this, which means that the Commissioner is well aware of the whole issue. As a former Minister of Defence, also responsible for this area, I am aware that the cooperation of firefighters, civil protection and the military is crucial. In our case, this has proved decisive. It is essential to bear in mind that the military does not only mean weapons, but the meaning is much broader. Therefore, it is also necessary to invest in dual-use systems, i.e. systems that mean the difference between life and death at a crucial moment. Without proper prevention, there will be no success. We need to think more broadly: how we will be more resilient and sustainable as a society and economy. Respect for nature should become our first line of defence.

Mr President, the enlargement of the European Union today is no longer just a bureaucratic process, it is a key geopolitical step, which means consolidating the stability, security and democratic values of the European Union. Countries that already demonstrate European commitment need clear messages and encouraging steps from Brussels. The promise of membership of the European Union must be true and reliable. Otherwise, the system of setting requirements does not work either. There are examples of candidate countries that have followed important reforms and then got stuck in the middle ground. North Macedonia is a shouting example. Meanwhile, other actors are strengthening their influence and alternative pathways that can undermine the stability and valuable values of the European Union. Those values that are too often taken for granted. We must also communicate this to European citizens over and over again. A common future with candidate countries means a stronger, safer and more united Europe.

Mr President, dear colleagues, thank you for your words. It is clear from these words that we are all working towards Montenegro becoming a member of the European Union. Dear Commissioner, dear Marta, as you have finally said: our common task is to help Montenegro meet all the criteria and be mature to join the European Union and all the countries that have joined – Slovenia, our country in 2004 for example – have faced or have faced difficult demands. There was also a lot of work to be done, but we succeeded because we worked together. And this time I would like to put this in the heart of both politicians and civil society in Montenegro. We need to work together. It is necessary to have one common goal, and this is entry into the European Union, because there is no other alternative for Montenegro. And for us, as representatives of the European Union, it is also a task to draw attention, of course, to what is not good, that we are also relentless when necessary. But of course, to realize first and foremost that we are here in fact to help and that we are all one team together. Thank you for your discussions. I look forward to the upcoming report and future work.

Madam President, Honourable Commissioner Marta Kos, Honourable Colleagues, you have before you the 2023-2024 Progress Report on Montenegro. The report concludes that Montenegro remains the leading candidate in the enlargement process and has managed to maintain high support from the population for joining the European Union, reaching up to 80% in some places. It is also important that both the parties of the coalition and the opposition were involved in the adoption of the necessary legislation. This shows a high level of awareness that for Montenegro, the only European path is the right path and there is no other alternative. We welcome all efforts made so far to adopt legislation to close chapters. Despite the temporary suspension of Croatia's agreement on Chapter 31, it is important that bilateral talks between the two countries take place. At the same time, I would like to stress that bilateral issues must not stop the process, as they did in the case of the last enlargement, although some issues are still awaiting a final solution today. Montenegro's successes so far provide a good basis for addressing future challenges, which will not be easy or scarce. The fight against organised crime and corruption, the reform of the judiciary, the facilitation of media freedom, the prevention of influence by third countries are of utmost importance for the achievement of democratic standards. Montenegro defines environmental protection as a constitutional category, which is commendable, but on the other hand requires concrete actions. Reform of the electoral law must also be a priority, as frequent elections in different municipalities are crippling the work of both local communities and the state as a whole. Local elections must be held throughout the country on the same day, and local government must be constituted immediately after the elections. Montenegro is a small country and this results in the election campaign in each municipality becoming a national theme. This, in turn, causes politics to deal with itself rather than with important topics. Montenegro's development will also be positively affected by the European Commission's advance payment of more than €26 million under the Growth and Development Plan, together with the substantial funds of hundreds of millions under IPA 3, which will allow new projects to be implemented. I have highlighted some of the areas covered by the report in which I have tried to be as objective as possible. Allow me to express my sincere thanks to all the rapporteurs of the political groups for their constructive cooperation in coordinating the amendments, to the staff of the secretariat of the Committee on Foreign Policy for their excellent technical preparation and, last but not least, to all the actors in Montenegro, both from the political side, from the local communities and from civil society, for their constructive cooperation. The integration process is a joint effort and requires a strong commitment from all stakeholders. I wish everyone a successful continuation of the process. Honourable Members, I would like to ask for your support in the vote and thank you in advance for the constructive debate.

Madam President. First of all, it is worth congratulating Montenegro on the closure of three chapters, which is a good success. Of course, the Western Balkans as a whole have been waiting too long and we have done too little in the past in this area. In the past mandate, enlargement did not happen, and if enlargement to the Western Balkans does not happen in this mandate, then we will cover the whole line. It is true, however, that not all countries should be thrown in the same basket. Some are harder on the road, others less. And that's why we need to be rewarded. And in this way, I think that the European Parliament would also be the best way to show that it is in favour of meritocracy by opening the European Parliament office in Montenegro in Podgorica. There should be no delay in the process. This mandate is a serious opportunity. The mood in the countries of the Western Balkans is also favourable to entry into the European Union. In particular, in Montenegro, the support of the people is as high as 80%. Therefore, all European institutions must do their utmost to make this enlargement happen, and politicians in the Western Balkans must refrain from any topics that would divide their peoples and that would incite hatred.

Madam President! What the countries affected today are experiencing was last year’s largest flooding in the country’s history. I was Minister of Defence, also in charge of protection and rescue, and that is why I know first-hand how difficult it is to deal with such crises, how difficult it is to see the suffering of people who have lost everything on the ground. Some of their lives too. I have seen hardships, I have seen suffering, I have seen tears, and I have also seen European solidarity working. We have activated the European mechanism immediately. It worked great. We also received funding from the Solidarity Fund, so we have been very successful together with the European Union and the Commission. I would also like to thank Commissioner Lenarčič, who is finishing his term of office, and I believe that the European Commission will devote even more resources to the Fund in the next term, even more to prevention and even more to solidarity and joint action.