BELGRADE, Serbia

Montenegro is ready to become a member of the European Union, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Thursday

"The Hungarian government's stance is clear: Montenegro is ready for EU membership,'' said Szijjarto after meeting with his counterpart Filip Ivanovic during his visit to the Montenegrin capital Podgorica.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Szijjarto said the EU is facing economic and security problems and new energy and dynamism is needed from outside.

"We believe that this new energy can come from the Western Balkans and assertive countries that are ready for such cooperation," he said.

He said the EU enlargement process is progressing slowly for the Western Balkans but one of Hungary's priorities will be to accelerate the process.

Ivanovic said Montenegro attaches importance to the support given by Hungary towards its EU membership.

"Determination and the commitment to constructive dialogue resulted in the establishment and maintenance of political stability in the country," he said.

After declaring its independence in 2006, Montenegro made its official membership application to the EU on Dec. 15, 2008 and received "candidate country" status on Dec. 17, 2010.

Montenegro started accession negotiations on June 29, 2012 and is expected to become the next member of the EU.

The country signed the first official document with NATO, the Partnership for Peace Framework Document on Dec. 14, 2006 and became the 29th member of NATO on June 5, 2017.