Czech PM backs Montenegro’s EU ambitions

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek expressed the hope that Montenegro would launch EU membership talks in 2010 during a visit to the country on Wednesday. He said the former Yugoslavian state, which later split from Serbia, should start talks about membership within a year. Mr Topolánek also expressed the hope the country would prove its democratic credentials in upcoming parliamentary elections on March 29. During an earlier visit to Macedonia, Mr. Topolánek pledged the Czech Republic would do its best to assist the lifting of visa requirements between Macedonia and the EU by the target date of 2010. Macedonia also wants to be a fully-fledged EU member state. Although it has the status of a candidate country but accession talks have yet to be launched.