Brussels
13 June 2020
On Saturday 13 June, the Montenegrin Greens ‘Civic Movement URA’ were elected to become candidate members of the European Green Party in a vote today during our bi-annual Council* meeting being held for the first time online.
Commenting after the vote, Civic Movement URA Party leader Dritan Abazović said:
“We are really happy to join the European Green Party family as a candidate member. As a party we have a clear ambition to bring Montenegro on an ever closer path to European integration that will lead to EU membership. Joining the EGP family will surely help us strengthen this position as a party. We hope to collaborate closely and develop joint projects and actions with other members of the EGP not only to strengthen our positions and capacity at home, but also to show that Montenegro is fully on the path for EU membership!
Only a Green Montenegro can be a European Montenegro!”
The co-chairs of the European Green Party Evelyne Huytebroeck and Thomas Waitz added:
“We warmly welcome ‘Civic Movement URA’ as a candidate member of European Green Party. We are sure that this next step in joining the Green family is mutually beneficial. One the one hand, as a clear pro-European movement URA will be able to strengthen its positions by being more closely integrated with our family. On the other hand, Montenegro faces specific challenges regarding the environmental and energy transition towards a sustainable future. Rule of law and media freedom are also under constant threat. We hope that we will be able to offer them the necessary platform to enrich their reflections and actions in these areas. For the European Green movement this is a strong sign we are sending. Not only do we believe the Western Balkans should be supported in their path towards European integration, but we also hold the belief that they must be supported through a just transition towards a sustainable Europe.”
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*Background: The European Green Party held its 31st Council for the first time online, between June 10-13. It included keynote speeches by leaders of the Green family, debates and exchanges with academics, politicians and activists from all over the world. Guests included Commissioner for the Environment and Ocean, Virginijus Sinkevičius; activists, journalists and academics Bill McKibben, Vandana Shiva and Amy Goodman. Resolutions on the Coronavirus recovery, Climate Neutrality, Protection of gig-workers and on the Black Lives Matter movement were adopted
Valentin Dupouey
Head of the Communication Unit / Press Officer
E valentin.dupouey@europeangreens.eu
T +32 (0) 485 93 99 26
European Green Party
Rue Wiertz 31, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
www.europeangreens.eu
