EGEMEN BAGIS PAYS AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO MONTENEGRO

Paying an official visit to Montenegro, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis was received by President Filip Vuyanovic in the capital, Podgorica.

During his visits in Podgorica, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis met with Dusko Markovic, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice of Montenegro, and Milan Rocen, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and EU Integration of Montenegro.

In the joint press conference held following his meeting with Mr. Rocan, emphasizing that he found this visit very meaningful in the sense that it was held in such a time when Montenegro was about to start negotiations with the EU, Bagis stated that Turkey supports the EU accession process of Montenegro, as well as its membership of NATO. He said: “You don’t have to worry about this issue. The EU membership of Montenegro and the other countries in the region is of vital importance for us in terms of the stability of the region and our future as a country.

Also participating in the conference titled “Overcoming the Difficulties in Europe: Time for New Perspectives” which was organized by a non- governmental organization called “European Movement in Montenegro” in capital Podgorica, Bagis made a presentation and stressed that Turkey opened a total of 13 out of 33 chapters to membership negotiations with the EU, and that 17 out of 20 chapters which have not been opened were blocked due to political purposes.

Pointing out that EU member countries are taking advantage of the EU accession process for their own conflicts, Minister Bagis said:

"Unfortunately some, I will give a name, Sarkozy is using Turkey's accession process for his own local political campaign. He is taking advantage of the hesitation of Turkey's development in the French public opinion to overthrow his opponents in the upcoming elections. I am certain that he will not succeed, because French nation is smarter than this. French nation's interpersonal intelligence is richer than Sarkozy's simple approach."

As a part of his visit to Podgorica, Bagis also had meetings with the Chief Negotiator

for Negotiations on Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Aleksandar Pejovic, Montenegro's Minister of State Rafet Husovic, Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro Rifat Rastoder and the President of Islam Cooperation Rifat Feyzic.