The EU has begun preparations for Montenegro's accession treaty
The European Union has moved to the practical stage of preparing Montenegro’s accession treaty. The country continues on its path toward EU integration and has declared its intention to become a member by 2028.
This is reported in an article by Politico.
EU ambassadors have officially approved the creation of a Special Working Group that will work on the legal details and the direct preparation of the accession treaty for this Western Balkan state to join the bloc.
A spokesperson for the Cypriot EU presidency called this decision significant progress, demonstrating to other candidates the reality of the prospect of enlargement. Montenegro itself is optimistic: the country aims to achieve full membership by 2028. This ambition has become so public that the slogan “28 by 28” (to become the 28th member by 2028) has even appeared on the aircraft of the national airline.
To date, Podgorica has already successfully closed 14 of the 33 negotiation chapters. Despite the positive momentum, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos emphasizes the need for further reforms, as the issue of the rule of law remains the most significant obstacle on the path to the EU.
Interestingly, the European Commission views Montenegro’s case as a “test bed” to prevent the emergence of a new “Hungary 2.0.” Brussels is attempting to implement mechanisms that would prevent a backsliding on democratic standards after the country becomes a member of the Union, although this initiative is currently facing some resistance within the bloc.
In parallel with its European integration processes, Montenegro is strengthening its ties with the Alliance. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the country and held talks with President Jakov Milatović. According to the Montenegrin leader, the parties discussed the final stage of negotiations with the EU, emphasizing that regional stability and reliable NATO membership are key factors for the country’s success on the international stage.
It should be noted that Montenegro’s path to Europe has spanned more than a decade and a half: the country received candidate status in 2010 and began official negotiations in 2012.
As a reminder, Montenegro has reached the final stage of EU accession.
Ukraine hopes that the European Union will open all six negotiation chapters regarding the country’s accession this year and anticipates the possibility of closing at least one of them by the end of the year.
Ukraine may temporarily forego some of the benefits of EU membership to speed up the accession process. Taras Kachka noted that such a step would help the country integrate into the EU more quickly.
