Dutch still against Montenegro joining EU

Thursday 12 March 2009

The Netherlands remains opposed to the European Union starting membership negotiations with the former Yugoslavian state of Montenegro, reports the Volkskrant.

Foreign affairs minister Maxime Verhagen said recently that there is still too much corruption in the country and too much influence from organised crime, the paper says.

The Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency, is particularly keen for talks with Montengro to start and a number of countries, including Sweden, feel the Dutch are being stubborn, the paper reports. They believe the EU must work towards stability in the region.

Montenegro, which broke away from Serbia in 2006, formally requested EU membership at the end of last year.

© DutchNews.nl

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