The European Commission's decision on Friday to extend European Union candidate status to Montenegro was greeted with enthusiasm by officials in Podgorica, reported Radio Television Montenegro (RTCG). Earlier in the day, Herman Van Rompuy, president of the EU, announced in Brussels that Montenegro had been nominated as the sixth candidate country in the current EU enlargement package. Montenegro's status was granted on the basis of annual European Commission progress reports. Chairman of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said the candidate status to Montenegro sends a 'very strong signal'to the countries of the Western Balkan that their future was in the EU. Countries in the current enlargement package have strict conditions placed on them with respect to organized crime and corruption. The mountainous Montenegro, along the Adriatic coast, is the smallest of the former Yugoslav republics with a population of 620, 000. 'This signals a more intensive engagement of our entire society on the path towards the European Union,' said Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, adding that the integration process had the support of all Montenegrin parliamentary parties. Furthermore, Vujanovic said that Montenegrin institutions had worked hard to meet European standards and that Montenegro had ' deservedly entered a new stage in the process of European Union integration.'Ranko Krivokapic, speaker of the Montenegrin parliament, used the occasion to praise legislators and citizens. 'It is an honor to receive a reward for what we have done. I congratulate all citizens of Montenegro, because this is their great success, 'said Krivokapic before parliament. 'We have set a new standard, but we remain as always in our history as a nation and state before great challenges,'said Krivokapic. 'The EU is a great challenge.' No date has been set for accession talks between Montenegro and the EU, with the harmonization period expected to last until 2015. 