EPA / Boris Pejović

The European Commission has suggested convening a Maintenance Conference with Montenegro this Friday and has issued a favorable report on interim measures in Chapters 23 and 24 (Ibar), as reported by Montenegrin media.

As per unofficial sources from Montenegrin media, this indicates that the European Commission has given the go-ahead for further deliberation of the report in the EU Council.

The Report on Temporary Mixtures (Ibar) has been presented by the European Commission to the Member States of the European Union, who will make the final decision regarding the resumption of accession talks between the candidate country and the EU.

The European Commission’s evaluation concluded that Montenegro has met the temporary criteria, recorded significant compliance, and made progress in adhering to EU and European standards in Chapters 23 and 24.

Long-standing Issues

In Montenegro’s case, a favorable Ibar outcome was vital for the country to move past a prolonged stall in its membership negotiation process. While Podgorica has opened all chapters, only three have been temporarily closed.

Montenegro submitted its application for European Union membership, with accession negotiations commencing on July 29, 2012.

Momentum in relations between the EU and Montenegro effectively stalled until 2020, particularly after the Democratic Party of Socialists, led by Mila Djukanovic, was ousted following three decades in power.

Negotiations resumed at the end of 2023 with the advent of a new government led by Milojko Spajić from the populist Europe Now movement.