Montenegro has achieved historic progress in its European Union (EU) accession process and is now in the final stage of negotiations, assessed Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.
Speaking at a working breakfast with journalists while presenting this year’s European Commission (EC) Report for Montenegro, she said it is the best EC report to date.
“The document confirms that our country has made historic progress in the EU accession process and is in the final stage of negotiations,” Gorčević said.
She noted that the report clearly shows that work, dedication, and responsibility yield results.
“Montenegro is recognized as a country that consistently, decisively, and in a European manner implements reforms on the path to full EU membership,” Gorčević stated.
According to her, the EC noted that Montenegro has achieved the most significant reform progress over the past three years since the start of negotiations in 2012.
“The average score for overall preparedness in 33 negotiating chapters increased from 3.12 in 2023 to 3.45 in 2025, while the average score for annual progress rose from 2.69 to 3.51,” Gorčević explained.
She clarified that this means no chapter was assessed as stagnant.
“On the contrary, progress was recorded in all 33 chapters, with faster progress registered in 18 of them,” Gorčević added.
She noted that Montenegro improved the overall preparedness in 13 chapters, while three chapters—Economic Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Foreign, Security and Defense Policy—now have an “advanced preparedness” rating.
Gorčević emphasized that Montenegro has maintained 100% alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.
“In Chapters 23 and 24, Montenegro achieved a rating of ‘moderately to good preparedness,’ which represents significant progress and confirms that rule-of-law institutions have strengthened and are delivering results,” she said, noting that the EC particularly praised the high-level anti-corruption results and judiciary strengthening.
She also said the Commission highlighted challenges—the need for final court rulings, strengthening institutional accountability, and continuing the fight against organized crime.
“These are areas that are now in the focus of our actions and where, in the coming months, we will demonstrate full determination and results,” Gorčević emphasized.
She added that the EC clearly stated that Montenegro has a framework for democratic elections, stable institutions functioning in a European spirit, and a pluralistic and free media environment.
“It was highlighted that Montenegro implements a zero-tolerance policy toward violence against journalists, that civil society operates freely, and that Parliament effectively oversees the executive,” Gorčević noted.
According to her, Montenegro has achieved significant progress in economic law, financial services, and intellectual property law, and visible progress has also been recognized in digital transformation and public administration reform.
The EC, Gorčević said, highlighted that Montenegro is well-prepared for digital transition, praised the new Law on Civil Servants and State Employees, work on professionalization and optimization of administrative capacities, as well as strengthening internal control systems and budget inspection.
She added that under the green agenda, Montenegro made progress in energy, transport, and climate policy, but the EC emphasized the need to further accelerate reforms in Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change.
Gorčević said that during the reporting period, two intergovernmental conferences were held, and four negotiating chapters were successfully closed, further confirming the stable pace of the accession process.
She noted that by the end of the year, Montenegro will have the highest number of internally prepared chapters since the start of negotiations, which could be crucial for closing several chapters at the December intergovernmental conference.
“According to the EC, this will mark Montenegro’s transition to the final phase of the process and create conditions for preparing the EU Accession Treaty,” Gorčević said.
She emphasized that the European path of Montenegro receives an additional boost from the EC Enlargement Package communiqué published today, in which the Commission for the first time set a timeline regarding Montenegro’s EU membership.
According to her, the report indicates that, provided Montenegro maintains the reform pace, the Commission will present a draft financial package, then a draft of common positions for closing negotiations on financial and budgetary provisions, and prepare a draft common position for the chapter on institutions.
“This is the most concrete and positive signal Montenegro has ever received from Brussels,” Gorčević stressed.
Minister of Interior Danilo Šaranović said that the EC Report is the best since the start of the negotiation process.
“Today, we no longer speak of Montenegro as a candidate country, but as the next EU member,” Šaranović said.
He added that everything achieved so far reflects the Government’s focus on implementing its strategic priorities in the shortest possible time and completing the integration process.
According to Šaranović, the EC’s assessment that Montenegro is the most advanced candidate reflects the round-the-clock work of the administration.
He noted that regarding Chapter 24, they are proud of the achieved results and that the EC recognized significant progress in the fight against organized crime.
Šaranović emphasized that the report particularly praised the reorganization of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), especially granting independence to the Special Police Department, and positively assessed cooperation with EUROPOL and the European Asylum Agency.
He said progress has been made in combating cybercrime and human trafficking, and the Commission welcomed the entry into force of the updated FRONTEX agreement and alignment of legal frameworks with Schengen standards.
Šaranović stated that police professionalization is confirmed through a process involving vetting, verifiable integrity criteria, and a clear line of accountability.
He added that this is reflected in the amendments to the Law on Interior Affairs, which the EC is expected to approve soon, so it can be submitted to Parliament for adoption—a prerequisite for fulfilling the tasks necessary to complete the negotiation process.
Šaranović noted that the report states that police equipment was mostly acquired through donations and highlighted that the Government has allocated an additional nearly EUR 54 million over the next six months for equipment procurement, focusing on strengthening capacities in border security.
“We implement reforms decisively, efficiently, and continuously, and in the next 12 months we will carry out all activities necessary to close Chapter 24,” Šaranović said.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Sergej Sekulović, said the ministry is satisfied with the report because, as he noted, it is generally positive in chapters related to the rule of law.
“We must not relax because we face a huge task that must be completed in a short period,” Sekulović said.
He also emphasized that they are aware of the shortcomings identified in the report.
“Clearly, through the report, we have a clear path, and we guarantee that we have a clear plan. Can we succeed? We can and we must,” Sekulović said.
Asked by journalists about the decision of the National Security Council to reduce the allowed stay to 30 days for citizens of countries not aligned with the EU visa policy, Šaranović said that certain minor issues still need to be harmonized before being communicated to the public.
“Certain measures will be aligned with the new Law on Foreigners, which is in parliamentary procedure,” he added.
He emphasized that the EU requires Montenegro to maintain full alignment with the Union’s visa policy, but this is a negotiation process, and Montenegro retains autonomy in making certain decisions in its interest.
“I have always expressed my opinion in Government sessions about introducing visa-free regimes for certain countries because I care about security, but we understand the needs of the tourism sector and the mismatch between supply and demand in the labor market,” Šaranović said.
Sekulović, responding to journalists, said that the vetting idea has not been abandoned and that the Ministry of Justice is developing models.
“However, given several continuous arguments presented, the assessment is that conducting vetting at this moment, as we envisioned it, could slow some processes, and we do not have time to slow down,” Sekulović said.
Source: mina.news