The successful completion of Montenegro’s European Union accession negotiations requires a strong partnership between the central and local levels of government, as well as continued efforts to strengthen municipalities’ capacity to make full use of the opportunities offered by EU membership. This was emphasized today during a meeting between Miloš Radonjić, Adviser to the President of Montenegro for European Affairs, and Milica Radojičić, assistant secretary general for international cooperation and European integration at the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.
During the discussion on the role of local authorities in the EU accession process and the challenges municipalities face in the final stage of negotiations, the President’s Adviser stressed that it is essential for local governments to be well prepared for the opportunities that Montenegro’s EU membership will bring. He emphasized the need to continuously strengthen municipalities’ administrative and project management capacities so that they can effectively absorb EU funding and implement development projects for the benefit of their citizens.
He stated that the Office of the President of Montenegro will continue to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the European integration capacities of local governments and improving coordination among all stakeholders involved in the EU accession process.
Radojičić presented the broad scope of the Union of Municipalities’ activities, ranging from contributing to the drafting and improvement of legislation, to fostering intensive bilateral and multilateral international cooperation—particularly in the field of EU integration. She also highlighted the Union’s support to municipalities in project preparation, securing funding, and implementing EU-funded projects, as well as its efforts to strengthen administrative capacities through continuous training for municipal staff and the development of practical manuals on project preparation, implementation, and reporting.
She expressed her appreciation that the Office of the President recognizes the important role of local governments in the European integration process and in the overall functioning of the state and society, with the shared objective of improving citizens’ quality of life. Radojičić also expressed confidence that promoting the interests and needs of local governments through the President’s activities would help create better conditions for the development of local communities and support their progress in meeting European standards.
