Opening of the Fifth Summer School for Young Diplomats in front of the Duke Gavro Vukovic memorial home, Berane, July 2012. Photo: UNDP in Montenegro

The main priorities of the Government of Montenegro remain European integration and economic reform. Although, through the process of European integration, Montenegro has improved the overall governance system but it still needs to strengthen its administrative and institutional capacities as stated in the last EC Progress Report (October 2012): “Overall, with the new government in office, government coordination and policy-making has further improved, particularly the quality of consultations with civil society. However, the overall capacity of ministries to produce high-quality legislation and impact assessments remains limited. The administrative capacity involved in coordination of European integration, including financial assistance, remains weak and needs to be substantially strengthened.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration has a mandate to implement foreign policy priorities on one side, and coordinate overall EU affairs in the country on the other side. In that sense, the ability of the Ministry to communicate, coordinate and achieve the foreign policy priorities will be of particular importance for Montenegro in the further EU accession process. In addition, Chief Negotiator (who is at the same time State Secretary for EU and National IPA Coordinator) is placed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EU Integration and he is supported with the newly established unit. Because of the accession negotiations’ complexity, additional assistance is required to establish a capable team to support the Chief Negotiator, as well as to coordinate the EU assistance and negotiations structures.