Governor Radović participated in the EU – Western Balkans Summit
05/12/2025
The CBCG Governor Irena Radović participated in the EU – Western Balkans Summit in Brussels, organised by “Friends of Europe”, one of the most influential European forums bringing together decision-makers, representatives of European institutions, academia, and the business community. This year’s summit gathered more than 200 key players from Europe and the region, dedicated to deepening cooperation, fostering economic growth, and accelerating the region’s integration into the European Union.
During the panel dedicated to economic growth, investment, and resilience, the Governor presented Montenegro’s key reform achievements, highlighting the accelerated alignment with the EU acquis and the payment systems modernisation: “These steps contribute to Montenegro’s integration into the European financial area ahead of its full EU membership, providing safer, faster, and higher-quality financial services to citizens, and more efficient and cost-effective operations for businesses,” Governor Radović stated.
Special attention was drawn to the challenges small and fragmented markets of the Western Balkans are faced with, noting that enhanced regional economic cooperation and joint initiatives represent an important development opportunity for strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of national economies. It was emphasised that programmes fostering market integration, harmonisation of rules, and capital mobility can significantly accelerate the economic growth of the entire region.
The Governor recalled that the modernisation of the financial system, the digitalisation of payment services, SEPA and TIPS, and the strengthening of the prudential framework, represent strategic priorities enhancing the system’s resilience, and create a more favourable investment environment thus strengthening the confidence of citizens and markets.
During her visit to Brussels, Governor Radović held discussions with representatives of the European Commission, the European Council, and partner institutions on further strengthening cooperation in the areas covered by Negotiation Chapters 4, 9, and 17, as well as on the steps contributing to Montenegro’s integration into the EU’s single financial market. Particular emphasis was placed on the pace of reforms that improve the stability and resilience of the financial sector and accelerate progress in the process of accession to the EU and the ESCB.