EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council holds first meeting

The first meeting of the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council took place on Monday (June 14th) in Luxembourg, six weeks after the SAA with Montenegro took effect. Attending the meeting were Spanish State Secretary for the EU Diego Lopez Garrido, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele and Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen.The Council will be a framework for strengthening relations between Brussels and Podgorica. EU representatives urged Montenegro to step up efforts to fight crime and corruption and to guarantee the independence of the judiciary and prosecutors. The Council also stressed the importance of regional co-operation as a key element of the Stabilisation and Association process.