Without much hesitation, in December 2023, I accepted the invitation extended by Minister Gorčević to put my knowledge about the European integration process to use in the role of a manager of the negotiations with the European Union. I had a clear goal – to accelerate the process for achieving Montenegro’s membership. At that time, my decision could have looked as an act of defiance against reality; defiance against the process fatigue, inherited weaknesses of institutions and generally accepted belief that European path was slow and bore no real fruit.
However, this defiance of mine was not an act of denying reality but of challenging it. It was derived from a dream, that, like every sincere dream, simply had to come true. It was derived from the idea whose time had come, as great Victor Hugo used to say. It was a kind of idealism too, the one that does not avoid responsibility but is ready to take it; the idealism that does not ignore constraints but turns them into a starting point for change. In that sense, the belief of the Minister Gorčević that a U-turn is possible in our country’s European affairs was not an expression of naive optimism, but an informed political decision to translate an ideal into measurable results with a huge support of our European partners.
As a frontrunner among the candidates, Montenegro, together with Albania, is the only country that opened all negotiation chapters, while it is far ahead of all other countries by the number of closed chapters. Successful technical screenings in other chapters show that the goal of closing them within the planned deadline is realistic, which opens the path for accession by 2028. And that would not be only an administrative success but a proof that, with several years of an intensive reform agenda, clear focus of the society and full commitment of institutions, international credibility can be restored, democratic consolidation accelerated and optimism for the future rebuild, even in the time of global uncertainties.
In the spirit of Jean Monnet, European Union is not constructed as a final project, but as a collection of concrete answers to complexities of the modern world. Today’s Union is an answer to fragmentation, crises, wars, climate challenges and technological crashes. Montenegro inherently belongs to that answer – not only politically, but from the civilisation point of view. It belongs to the circles that shaped contemporary Europe, but also to its historic line where, through various times it built bridges to broader, European framework. That path is at the same time an expression of its political identity and permanent openness to Europe.
Western Balkan remains one of the missing links in the chain of the European idea. Without its full integration, the European project remains unfinished. In that process, Montenegro must be a frontrunner – not because of inertia or geography, but because it deserves to be, because of the values it lives and the ability to change. Power of self-criticism, readiness to transform institutions and consistency in application of the rules are the elements that define contemporary Europe and precisely these elements are present in Montenegro today.
In the end, the path Montenegro has passed so far clearly shows that a lot of strength, patience and discipline has already been invested and that the decision about the outcome is being made now. Every step that will follTow will have more weight, because there is no more room for any hesitation or improvisation. In 2026, where our goal is to close all the chapters, it is of key importance to achieve the rhythm, rely on the lessons learnt and show consistency in action. If we persist in that spirit, if Montenegro remains the centre of European optimism in the region, the dream that for years seemed to be out of reach will become a political and social reality.
By: Predrag Zenović, Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the EU
This text was published in the 17th issue of Eurokaz magazine.