Deputy PM Zaharieva: Bulgaria continues to strongly support the European integration of Montenegro
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The Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva welcomed the efforts of Montenegro along the path to European integration and confirmed the unwavering support of Bulgaria for that country.
‘Bulgaria supports extremely strongly the European integration of Montenegro. We believe that Montenegro is the most advanced nation in the Western Balkans as far as its European integration is concerned. The opening of negotiation chapters is a difficult process, but their closing is even more difficult, as your overall progress in the fight against corruption will be scrutinized thoroughly,’ said Minister Zaharieva at a meeting today with a delegation of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption of Montenegro headed by Goranka Vučinić, Chairperson of the Board of the Agency.
Deputy Prime Minister Zaharieva, who is also the Chairperson of the National Council for Anti-corruption Policies, familiarized the representatives of Montenegro with the ways in which Bulgarian anti-corruption institutions operate. She underscored that the fight against corruption can only be won through unity of action and coordination among the institutions. ‘Without a functioning prosecution office, without functioning courts, without the commitment of the Ministry of Interior, of the Ministry of Justice, of each and every administration, of each and every leader, there is no way you can go far in the fights against corruption,’ said Ekaterina Zaharieva.
The European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans is a priority for Bulgaria’s foreign policy, just as it was one of the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union last year. At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Zaharieva underscored once again the willingness of Bulgaria to assist and support Montenegro on its path to the EU.
For her part, Goranka Vučinić expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and exchange experience with her colleagues from the anti-corruption institutions of Bulgaria.
‘Bulgaria has some very good practices in that area. I hope that we will receive the support of your institutions, we will exchange experience, will receive your expertise and improve our work even further,’ said Goranka Vučinić.