Montenegro has become the first EU candidate country to receive a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR). Based on the current enlargement methodology, this step means that Montenegro can now start closing other negotiating chapters. Montenegrin authorities hope that Montenegro could become a full EU member state in 2028. About the importance of IBAR, further steps and reforms to be implemented on the Montenegrin path to the EU Predrag Zenović, Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the EU spoke for European Western Balkans portal (EWB).
European Western Balkans: What does the obtaining IBAR mean for Montenegro? Is there finally political will on both sides to accelerate the process?
Predrag Zenović: It is important to point out the primary and long-term importance of the rule of law in the context of the accession negotiations. Both the old and the revised enlargement methodology give priority to the rule of law. At the same time, the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR) is explicitly set as a prerequisite without which it is not possible to approach the provisional closure of other chapters. Montenegro is currently well on its way to membership in the European Union and positive IBAR is a key step in that process – the beginning of the final phase.
However, I think that the success story of Montenegro is equally important for the European Union because it confirms that the enlargement process, as the most successful tool of the EU foreign policy, is still alive after a decade of stagnation and that the process is still merit-based. The European Union is a community of values, rights, and principles – it is not just a geopolitical reality.
Thus, it is important that the process in its further course be based on the results and merits in the reform process. In this context, Montenegro is a positive example and we must do our best, all social actors in their domain of competence, to keep it that way. The final outcome depends solely on our ability and determination to complete the last part of this process by chapter, benchmark by benchmark. Geopolitics and politics can speed up or slow the process, although in its essence it is pretty expertise-based and technical.
The Government of Montenegro and other public institutions, civil society and the expert community have done a significant job, but there are still steps ahead of us in order to become a full member of the EU. The regatta accelerated towards Brussels – the Eastern Trio, the Western Balkans and the small boat of Montenegro at the beginning of the regatta. The winds are favorable, I hope they will remain good and bring the regatta to the finish line as soon as possible.
EWB: What are the next steps for the Government of Montenegro in terms of the European integration process?
PZ: The priority task is to prepare road maps for each chapter as soon as possible, and continue with reforms in areas such as agriculture, energy, transport, environment, social policy, and others. At this stage, we already have two internally ready negotiation chapters, and we will try to prepare several more chapters for provisional closure during Hungary’s EU presidency, which began on July 1 and will last until the end of the year.
The key now is to keep up the pace and commitment and take advantage of this political window of opportunity. Montenegro has made clear and measurable results in reforms, which were recognized and acknowledged through the unfreezing of negotiations, the closing of negotiation chapters, and keeping this pace will lead us to the EU membership.
EWB: On which priority reforms should the Government focus in order to begin closing chapters? What is encompassed in the six benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24?
PZ: As I said, and this should not be overlooked in the long run, reform activities in the domain of the rule of law will determine the dynamics of the integration process until its completion and will always be in the focus of our interest. With this in mind, immediately after the Intergovernmental Conference, a meeting was held with the heads of the negotiating working groups for Chapters 23 and 24, with the aim of considering the EU Common Positions with closing benchmarks, which accompanied the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report.
The closing benchmarks concern the essence of the entire reform process, which is the provision of a stable track record in important areas. That will be a demanding undertaking that will require the full commitment of all three branches of government and all social stakeholders.
Specifically, when it comes to chapter 23, the focus of the closing benchmarks remains on judicial reform, prevention and fight against corruption, and ensuring the protection of human rights and their realization in accordance with the EU European Charter of Fundamental Rights and relevant standards.
In chapter 24, the priority issues remain the prevention and fight against various forms of organized crime, with a special emphasis on the adequate response of the criminal justice system through investigations, convictions and confiscation of the proceeds of crime. Also, issues of migration, asylum, visa policy, external border control and Schengen remain in focus. The priority task of the negotiating structure, mainly of the negotiating working groups for chapters 23 and 24, will be to draw up, without delay, action plans for meeting the closing benchmarks on the rule of law, in order to complete the final, but very demanding phase and make us 28th EU member state by 2028.
EWB: When do you expect Montenegro to start closing negotiation chapters? Could we expect this by the end of this year, and which chapters could be closed the earlies?
PZ: Unfortunately, Montenegro has so far closed only three negotiation chapters, which contain relatively less EU acquis and are, therefore, easiest to harmonize. After receiving positive IBAR, the provisional closure of chapters is imperative and a condition for the European path to become credible for all actors. Montenegro reached high internal readiness when it comes to Chapter 10 (Information society and Media), Chapter 20 (Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy), and also works intensively on harmonizing with the EU acquis under Chapter 5 (Public Procurement), Chapter 6 (Commercial law) and Chapter 7 (Intellectual property law). Along with chapter 31 (Foreign, security and defense policy), where Montenegro reached 100% compliance with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, there is already a significant number of chapters the closure of which would give a new impetus to the integration process.
EWB: Minister Gorčević stated that following IBAR, the most demanding phase of Montenegro’s negotiations with the EU will follow. What could be the biggest challenges and what is necessary to maintain this momentum of progress?
PZ: Montenegro has a big challenge in terms of administrative capacity, the same one faced by countries of similar size, population, and similar history of decentralized autonomous institutions and agencies. This must be built, both through fostering a positive administrative culture and through constant improvement of the strategic framework on human resource management and the opening of new institutional mechanisms. Challenging chapters are numerous.
The issues of the environment, climate change, and a complete revolution in the energy system of Montenegro are covered by the financially challenging chapter 27. It is similar to Chapter 12 – Food Safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy. In the field of economy, the issue of using the euro should once again be thoroughly reviewed with the European side, bearing in mind the fact that the Stabilization and Association Agreement did not provide all the answers. Chapter 8, which refers to the competition policy, is a very sensitive issue, given that it fundamentally concerns the way the market economy functions, without monopolies and privileged actors. These are just some of the important issues that we must address in the coming period with firm political commitment and a coordinated approach.
EWB: Montenegro could draw around 413 million euros from the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. How much can these funds help Montenegro accelerate its path to EU membership?
PZ: The main goal of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is to encourage and accelerate the development of the Montenegrin economy and the Western Balkans as a whole, get closer to the EU single market, while also deepening regional economic integration and intensifying fundamental reforms. Through this initiative, which represents a kind of intensive economic convergence of the Western Balkans and the EU, our goal will be to build a functioning market economy with the capability to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.
Specifically, the Growth Plan was conceived through the following four pillars, which aim to achieve faster economic development in the EU and accelerated accession to the European Union: 1. Strengthening economic integration with the single market of the European Union, 2. Strengthening economic integration within the Western Balkans through a common regional market, 3. Acceleration of fundamental reforms, 4. Increasing financial assistance to support reforms through the Instrument for Reforms and Growth for the Western Balkans for the period from 2024-2027.
In light of the fact that it is necessary to speed up not only economic convergence but also the EU accession process, it was important to include goals in the field of fundamental rights in the Reform Agenda of Montenegro. The key sectors in which it will be necessary to carry out further reforms in order to withdraw Growth Plan funds are democracy, judiciary, fight against corruption, fundamental rights and freedom of the media, fight against organized crime, and visa policy. All the recognized sectors correspond to long-term priorities in the domain of the rule of law, and in the context of the already obtained final benchmarks in negotiation chapters 23 and 24.
