“Montenegro expects to close four negotiation chapters by the end of this calendar year. If successful, this will mean that more chapters have been closed than in the entire past decade,” said Montenegro’s Chief Negotiator with the EU, Predrag Zenović, in an interview for newspaper Pobjeda.
Zenović emphasizes that the pace of negotiations has not slowed down, but is proceeding as planned. The Chief Negotiator adds that despite all challenges, the goal for Montenegro to become a full EU member by 2028 is achievable and realistic.
Speaking about relations with Croatia and potential obstructions to Montenegro’s European path by that country, Zenović stresses the significance of remaining good partners who will responsibly build bridges of cooperation that future generations can be proud of.
POBJEDA: The Croatian State Secretary recently stated that Montenegro, when receiving the IBAR (Interim Benchmarks Assessment Report), promised to meet the remaining conditions that were not fulfilled concerning the interim benchmarks. What are the interim benchmarks that Montenegro is “yet to fulfill”?
ZENOVIĆ: At the time of getting the IBAR, out of more than 80 complex interim benchmarks, Montenegro had not fully met only three for Chapter 23 and three benchmarks for Chapter 24. In Chapter 23, the three benchmarks refer to three parts: amending the Constitution regarding the role of the Minister of Justice in the Judicial Council, appointing the President of the Supreme Court, and amending the Law on the Financing of Political Parties and Election Campaigns. Regarding the benchmark of amending the Constitution in the part related to the role of the Minister of Justice in the Judicial Council the Government agreed with the decision of the Minister of Justice not to attend sessions of the Judicial Council on May 24. As well, they agreed not to vote on matters under the Council’s authority until the Constitution is amended to exclude the Minister from the Judicial Council. This is a temporary solution but addresses the essence of the benchmark, which is the independence of this body.
Concerning the benchmark for appointing the President of the Supreme Court, the proposal for amendments to the Law on the Judicial Council and Judges determined on May 29 foresees mechanisms to unblock the election process for the President of the Supreme Court. Let me remind you of all the failed attempts. Under such circumstances, the amendment aims to overcome this institutional deadlock.
Regarding the benchmark of amending the Law on the Financing of Political Parties and Election Campaigns, the Parliamentary Committee for Comprehensive Electoral Reform has informed that after completing the work on this law, it will propose its adoption in the Parliament under expedited procedure.
As for Chapter 24 the assessment is that three interim benchmarks have been partially met. These benchmarks relate to strengthening the capacity for conducting financial investigations, systematically conducting such investigations, and achieving results in the confiscation of property gained through drug trafficking. Montenegro needs to make reforms and measurable progress in these areas, although the Commission has shown readiness, and the Council has supported, leaving these issues for after the Intergovernmental conference. In my view, this is another confirmation that the IBAR was not a gift but rather a recognition of Montenegro’s merits, and proof that the enlargement policy is merit-based.
POBJEDA: After getting a positive IBAR, it seems there has been a certain stillness in the context of EU integration and Montenegro’s path towards membership. Is the process moving at the desired pace, considering that there were announcements of closing up to ten chapters by the end of the year?
ZENOVIĆ: Optimism is an important component of the complex and multi-dimensional process of European integration. How else can one advocate for the principles of a community built on freedom, justice, equality, legality, and the values of the civilization to which we belong in a world of uncertainty and growing authoritarian narratives and models? But regarding this we must be reasonable. Receiving of a positive IBAR has opened a new phase of negotiations with the EU and provided new energy to Montenegro’s European path, the state administration, the negotiating structure, and society as a whole. The expectation on the Montenegrin side is to provisionally close four negotiation chapters by the end of the year. Achieving this Montenegro will close several chapters by the end of this year than in the entire past decade. Although public attention to the current negotiation process may be lower compared to when the IBAR was in focus, and with good reason, the pace of negotiations has not slowed and is proceeding as planned. Perhaps this is why media representatives perceive a lull in the integration process. One fact I must highlight here is that significant progress has been made in a technical-expert sense, but the hard work of our administration often goes unseen by the broader public. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that this work is paving the way for a new historical chapter for Montenegro and the entire Western Balkans. To educate the engaged public and inform the general Montenegrin public, the Ministry of European Affairs has launched a series of programs aimed at bringing the negotiation chapters, which we plan to provisionally close this autumn, closer to the public. These will highlight the benefits of full implementation of EU standards for the system, the economy, and society as a whole. The European path is not just a historical trajectory for Montenegro; it is a path that Montenegrin citizens must go in terms of rules, principles, and standards. In short, a path to a better and safer life.
POBJEDA: The Reform Agenda has been submitted to Brussels for analysis. Have you already received feedback in terms of suggestions or possible corrections, and based on the submitted Reform Agenda? When can we expect the first disbursements from the Growth Plan?
ZENOVIĆ: Montenegro was a frontrunner in drafting this document under the Growth Plan. The Government of Montenegro adopted the Reform Agenda On September 26th 2024, which defines the key reforms Montenegro needs to implement in the next four years to receive financial support from the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The total approved funds from this plan amount to €383.5 million, of which €110 million will be non-refundable grants, while the remaining €273.5 million will be available through favorable loans. The document has already undergone multiple rounds of communication with the European Commission and it was developed in continuous cooperation with relevant EU institutions. Therefore, no additional comments or suggestions on the adopted document are expected. The first disbursement, amounting to €29 million, will be available to Montenegro by the end of 2024. The negotiation process and the Reform Agenda are two sides of the same coin for which Montenegro is striving – they differ in form and methodology, but essentially, they are the steps and reforms that have been expected from Montenegro for years.
POBJEDA: The chapters on Intellectual property law (Chapter 7), Information society and media (Chapter 10), Enterprise and industrial policy (Chapter 20), and Foreign, security, and defence policy (Chapter 31) should be closed by the end of the year according to the roadmap prepared by the European Commission. Is the closure of these chapters certain, and is there a possibility of obstacles along the way?
ZENOVIĆ: Negotiations have both political and technical-expert dimensions. The provisional closing of chapters in accession negotiations with the EU depends on numerous factors, some of which are objective, such as the balance of achieved results in implementing reforms, regional cooperation, and the reform processes themselves. On the other hand, there are factors over which a country like Montenegro has minimal or no influence, such as public opinion in member states regarding enlargement, the general climate within the EU, national and European Parliament elections, and the geopolitical context.
The negotiating structure I lead is responsible for the technical-expert dimension, which we can influence through our commitment, clear vision, and specific policies. In this sense, Montenegro has already made significant progress in aligning its legislation with EU standards in the area of intellectual property. The introduction of a legal framework and mechanisms for protecting copyrights and patents demonstrates a strong commitment to reforms. Additionally, by adopting a comprehensive set of laws Montenegro has reached full alignment and significant progress in preparing for the effective implementation of key EU acquis documents in the areas of electronic communications, information society services, and audiovisual policy.
Montenegro’s legislative and institutional framework ensures media freedom, guarantees the independence of relevant regulatory bodies and provides sustainable measures to enhance media pluralism. At the same time, their implementation has shown positive trends in the media sector.
Regarding Chapter 20, Montenegro has fulfilled its obligation to develop a comprehensive industrial strategy in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, and its implementation is ongoing. Continuous coordination of industrial policy with other key strategies has been ensured, and consistency between national strategies and programs in the areas of entrepreneurship and industry has been maintained through various forms of intersectoral cooperation.
When it comes to Chapter 31, Montenegro has maintained full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defense Policy. Montenegro is 100 percent aligned with all EU statements, decisions, and restrictive measures. Montenegro has submitted final reports and proposed their provisional closure to the Commission. The European Commission is our sincere, partner, and critical supporter, but also a reliable ally in the clear roadmap and Montenegro’s determined political will to become the 28th member by 2028. Any potential obstacles, I believe, we must overcome based on the essence and purpose of the European project as a project of peace, good neighborliness, cooperation, and prosperity.
POBJEDA: According to some reports, Montenegro’s plan was for Chapter 1 (Free Movement of Goods) to be among the chapters expected to be closed by the end of the year. However, according to the European Commission’s roadmap, it will not be closed soon. Is that accurate, and if so, what influenced this?
ZENOVIĆ: In cooperation with the European Commission, we reviewed the chapters most prepared for closure by the end of the year, and Chapter 1 – Free Movement of Goods – was not part of these discussions. Significant progress has undoubtedly been made in this chapter, which is not coincidentally the first among all chapters. It covers a wide range of technical standards, product safety regulations, market surveillance, and rules concerning health, particularly medicines and the setting of their maximum prices, among others. The closure of this chapter may be delayed due to underdeveloped administrative capacities, a complex system of secondary legislation, and institutions required for implementing the acquis in this area. Although progress is expected in this domain, fully closing this chapter will require additional alignments and verification of the reforms already implemented. This is why it was not included in the list of chapters that could be closed by the end of this year.
Nonetheless, further efforts on Chapter 1 will continue in the coming period to reach full readiness for its closure within the next year, as tentatively estimated in discussions with the European Commission. Of course, if Montenegro manages to meet the chapter’s requirements earlier its closure can be planned sooner in collaboration with the Commission. Ultimately, it mostly depends on us.
POBJEDA: In the further process of Montenegro’s EU accession, do you anticipate any potential obstructions from Croatia, given certain disagreements that arose during and after the adoption of the controversial resolution on the Jasenovac genocide?
ZENOVIĆ: Let me first remind you that from the very beginning of our negotiation process, Croatia and Montenegro have had excellent cooperation in the area of European integration. The relations between the two countries have been friendly and supportive, despite occasional disagreements that naturally arise between neighboring states.
At the time of receiving the IBAR (Interim Benchmark Assessment Report), Montenegro had not fully met three benchmarks for Chapter 23 and three for Chapter 24 out of over 80 complex interim benchmarks.
I have always been a proponent of dialogue and open diplomatic communication at the highest level to prevent unresolved issues from escalating to the point where they negatively impact the good relations between the peoples, systems, and institutions of the two countries. We greatly appreciate Croatia’s continuous and open support which has been instrumental in transferring knowledge, experience, and expertise from Croatian colleagues. This has significantly contributed to building Montenegro’s capacities for conducting negotiations and advancing its EU integration.
Since becoming a full EU member, Croatia has taken on a more active role in promoting and supporting the European perspective of the Western Balkans and in advancing regional stability.
We are convinced that EU membership is a guarantee of stability and peace in the Western Balkans and represents a powerful mechanism for implementing comprehensive reforms. We also recognize that the Western Balkans have faced significant challenges in adopting and implementing European values, which are helping to build a healthier foundation for a prosperous future in the region by teaching us to move past the “fears of small differences.” On this path is essential to remain good partners who responsibly build bridges of cooperation that future generations can be proud of. Unresolved issues and disagreements should be addressed at the diplomatic table. I firmly believe that the Republic of Croatia will remain a consistent supporter of our path to full EU membership.
POBJEDA: Considering all the socio-political circumstances in the country, as well as the complexity of the reforms that need to be implemented, is the timeline for full membership by 2028 realistic and achievable?
ZENOVIĆ: With the necessary significant efforts from all stakeholders and political actors, the proposed timeline for full membership by 2028 is ambitious but achievable. Key factors in reaching this goal include not only the quality but also the speed and efficiency of implementing the required reforms, political stability, and public support which remains exceptionally high, at nearly 80 percent.
The commitment of this government to achieving the desired goal is evident in the concrete results we are presenting, which undoubtedly reflect years of effort, hard work, and dedication from the negotiating structure. It’s also true that the EU accession process depends on the broader context within the European Union itself, as recent years have been challenging for the EU as well.
After two decades since the Thessaloniki promise to the Western Balkans, the EU has once again shown its openness to enlargement and reaffirmed that this issue remains high on the European agenda. Therefore, it is clear and understandable that encouragement to achieve this goal is coming from all official EU sources. Montenegro is aware of all the challenges but is also proud of its diligent work, knowing that in the process of reforming society, nothing has been nor will be handed to us. Therefore, we will continue to work sincerely and fight deservedly for our status as a full member of the European family. This will certainly require Montenegro to continue aligning its national legislation with the EU, remain committed to public administration reform, strengthen institutions, improve the economy, and consistently achieve results, especially in the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, and economic progress. Although there are occasional signs of justifiable fatigue within our administration from the long integration process, we will seize the current political environment and the opportunity presented to us to achieve our goal and set an example for other candidate countries to accelerate their reforms at home.