Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović attended the 9th Budapest Balkans Forum, taking place on 13 and 14 March 2025 in Budapest. This forum, hosted by the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (HIIA), convened high-level political figures, experts, diplomats, and representatives of international organizations from Europe and elsewhere to discuss crucial political, economic, and security topics affecting the Balkans and Southeast Europe.

During a roundtable discussion entitled “Warm-up conversation on the achievements of the Hungarian EU Presidency,” Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović expressed his appreciation to Hungary for its ongoing support of Montenegro’s European integration journey. He underscored that EU membership is Montenegro’s strategic aim, highlighting the importance of backing from EU member states like Hungary in reaching this goal.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović noted the significance of regional cooperation and stability, emphasizing that collaborative efforts to enhance economic and security conditions are vital for the prosperity of the entire area.

Moreover, Ivanović reminded participants that, due to committed reform initiatives and robust Hungarian assistance towards the enlargement policy, Montenegro successfully closed three negotiation chapters last December after seven years of talks.

This milestone represents the pinnacle of an exceptionally fruitful year where, aside from closing chapters and conducting two intergovernmental conferences, Montenegro also achieved significant progress—receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR), joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system, and presenting an ambitious Reform Agenda, Ivanović stated.

He further emphasized that these achievements encourage Montenegro to stay focused on implementing necessary reforms and maintaining a strong internal consensus regarding the country’s European aspirations. He reiterated Montenegro’s commitment to the merit-based approach to EU enlargement and expressed hope that, despite geopolitical challenges, the EU will continue to prioritize its enlargement strategy, which remains one of its key strategic instruments.

Securing enlargement would yield substantial benefits not only for the new member states but would also reinforce the credibility and importance of the European Union as a geopolitical entity. In this regard, we anticipate that Montenegro will become the next EU member by 2028, Ivanović stated.

Alongside Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović, the roundtable included Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka, Bulgarian Minister of the Interior Daniel Mitov, and Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Megi Fino.