(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 01 SET - EU High Representative Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, welcomed the results of the parliamentary and local elections held on Sunday in Montenegro. The country "is well advanced on its way" to joining the EU and, once the new parliament and the new government are formed, "the months ahead must be used to deepen and speed up political and economic reforms, particularly on the rule of law area", they wrote in a joint statement.

Preliminary results from international observers and the OSCE "highlight that the elections were managed transparently and efficiently, but note intensely polarised debate over issues of church and national identity and a number of concerns in relation to undue advantage for the ruling party and the unbalanced media coverage", Brussels points out, calling on political leaders to address these problems, as well as "long-standing electoral shortcomings ahead of the next elections".

Montenegrian opposition supporters celebrate the election results in Podgorica, Montenegro, 31 August 2020. Montenegian opposition groups claimed victory against the Milo Djukanovic's ruling party in a tense parliamentary election that could possibly see a change in the course of the small Balkan state.

EPA/BORIS PEJOVIC (ANSA).