European Union reveals it is 'positive' about Montenegro's accession bid
Montenegro's bid to join the European Union (EU) has received a "positive opinion" from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (Pace), it has been announced.
The assembly highlighted the country's adoption of a new constitution that will increase compatibility with the EU, while also containing new measures to ensure the judiciary remains independent and that the death penalty is abolished.
In particularly, the Montenegrin government's will to reform and the progress made in "many fields" was welcomed by Pace, although it noted that much of "this commitment must now be translated into practice".
A statement from pace read: "Having agreed to these commitments [Montenegro is] able and willing to fulfill the basic obligations of membership and should be invited to become the Council of Europe's 47th member state."
Along with Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia are also listed as recognised candidates for EU membership, while Bulgaria and Romania are the latest states to have joined the EU, having achieved accession in January 2007.
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