February 25 (SeeNews) - Montenegro hopes to open the last chapter in its accession talks with the European Union later this year, prime minister Dusko Markovic has said.
Montenegro aims to start negotiations on Chapter 8 - Competition in 2019, Markovic said during a meeting with EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn on Friday, according to a Montenegrin government press release.
Moreover, the government hopes to fulfil the obligations under Chapter 23 - Judiciary & Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 - Justice, Freedom & Security in 2019, which would be a new milestone in the negotiation process, Markovic said.
"Montenegro is a reliable regional player, the country that has made the most progress and I count on Montenegro continuing to promote a European perspective for all countries in the region," Hahn said.
Montenegro has opened 32 of a total of 33 chapters of EU law thus far and has temporarily closed three of them.