Coming from Belgrade, Serbia, where he took part in the opening day of a two-day regional conference on “Facing the Challenges of Organised and Serious Crimes in the Western Balkans” (Sep. 28-29) [1], the Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) and Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, the French Mr. Jacques Barrot, arrived yesterday, on Monday September 28, 2009 in the late afternoon, at Tivat Airport for his first official two-day visit in the country, welcomed off the plane by the Ambassador and Head of the EC’s Delegation to Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Leopold Maurer, his Chargé d’Affaires for Politics, European Integration and Trade, Mr. Clive Rumbold, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, and the Mayor of Kotor, Mrs. Marija Ćatović (DPS).

Stopping for few hours in the costal town to hold informal talks before leaving for a working dinner in Podgorica hosted by the Prime Minister of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Milo Đukanović, Vice-President Barrot was locally entertained in a guided walking tour throughout the Old Town, being introduced with Kotor’s history and architectural patrimony by Mayor Ćatović.

In a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, the EC high representative notably visited the Cathedral of Sv. Trifun (St. Tryphon) [2], the Church of Sv. Nikola (St. Nicholas) and the Church of Sv. Luka (St. Luke), subsequently delivering a brief message of friendship for its inhabitants and Mayor Ćatović, currently campaigning for her re-election at the head of the municipality (local elections on November 8). In reference to the city’s invaluable cultural and spiritual heritage, the EC Vice-President declared that “Europe without Kotor is not quite Europe,” stressing his firm belief that Montenegro has great potential for tourism and cultural development, and concluding his address by the words: “It’s my first visit to Montenegro and surely not the last!”

Following is the audio record in French and Montenegrin of EC Vice-President Barrot’s address in Kotor, September 28:

Today, this Tuesday September 28 in the mid-morning, Vice-President Barrot and Prime Minister Đukanović gave a joint press conference at the State Residence “Villa Gorica”, on the occasion of which the EC Vice-President largely commented the latest steps of the visa liberalisation process with Montenegro, pointed out the country’s great progresses towards the White Schengen list, and told his good hope to be able to transmit on next December 1st a final proposal for abolishing visas to the Council of the European Union (EU). “Visa liberalisation is an important benchmark on the road toward EU integration, and an opportunity for the younger generation, in particular, to enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen zone in the EU,” stressed Vice-President Barrot.

As part of his message to the Montenegrin authorities, the EC high representative came to announce that an expert group will be visiting Montenegro in the course of October, to assess whether the country has fulfilled all its obligations under the roadmap for visa liberalisation, insisting in particular on the fact that will be asked to provide precise data and information about court cases involving organised crime and corruption. “Under the present Commission’s schedule and with hopefully a positive expert opinion, visa-free travel will be a reality for citizens of Montenegro holding a biometric passport as of January 1st, 2010,” rejoiced in advance Vice-President Barrot, noting by another way that, if Montenegro has made a great step forward in view of the adoption of reforms and necessary laws, the enacted laws have however to be put into practice, in particular regarding the respect of judicial independence.

As for him, Prime Minister Đukanović — confident in the conclusions to be returned by the EC expert group, assured his European interlocutor that, on what is of its competence, the Montenegrin Government has already met all the requirements from the roadmap. “I believe our Government has shown its political commitment and full co-operation with the European Commission (...) Montenegro is moving steadily towards our goal of visa-free travel from January 2010,” the Prime Minister said.

Concluding the press conference, Vice-President Barrot warmly congratulated Prime Minister Đukanović on his key role in building the future of the Balkans, praising the “Montenegrin model” as a multi-ethnic harmonious society with a great future straight ahead.

During his stay in Montenegro, and before leaving Podgorica to attend in Paris, France, a conference-debate with Mr. Jacques Delors, French former EC President, at the Collège des Bernardins, Vice-President Barrot also held separate talks with a number of other Montenegrin State Officials, notably the President of Montenegro and the President of the Parliament, T.Exc. Messrs. Filip Vujanović and Ranko Krivokapić. With the later in particular, he was introduced to the current activities of the State administration in responding to the EC’s Questionnaire, President Krivokapić expressing during the encounter his belief that the answers will be of “good quality”, only by considering all indicators of national consensus over European integration, as well as the progresses achieved so far in meeting European standards.
For the anecdote, demonstrating if necessary the State Presidency’s high level of concern over European institutions, the press release delivered by the Office of President Vujanović after his meeting with the EC Vice-President, mentioned everywhere throughout the text Mr. Jacques Barrot as “Jacques Barroso”... It is to be pointed that Vice-President Barrot is even so in office since 2004!