Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović stated that Montenegro is closer than ever to joining the European Union (EU), emphasizing the necessity for the country to remain on its European trajectory.

In a conversation with the MINA agency, Ibrahimović noted the Ministry’s active monitoring of evolving geopolitical dynamics, expressing optimism that these changes bolster Montenegro’s aspiration to achieve EU membership by 2028.

“The global community urgently needs a strong and united EU, characterized by a clear vision and proactive geopolitical engagement,” Ibrahimović stated.

He emphasized that both the EU and Montenegro should remain steadfast in upholding the foundational values of the Union.

“Montenegro is acknowledged as a forerunner in regional European integration, having made the most significant progress in accession negotiations,” Ibrahimović highlighted.

During discussions at the Munich Security Conference and a meeting with Western Balkan leaders, it was recognized that Montenegro is visibly advancing and, with effective reform implementation, has a realistic opportunity to become the next EU member by 2028.

“With the current emphasis on the importance of enlargement policy in enhancing the stability of the Union itself, we have never been closer to EU membership. Therefore, I stress again – we must remain committed to our European path,” Ibrahimović declared.

He pointed out that EU membership is a consensus goal among all socio-political stakeholders and is supported by approximately 80% of the Montenegrin populace.

Ibrahimović believes this consensus represents a privilege and an asset that Montenegro must leverage.

“This is also a key reason why I am confident we will succeed in achieving our objective,” he added.

When questioned about potential changes to the visa regime for third countries, Ibrahimović affirmed Montenegro’s commitment to gradually aligning its visa policies with EU standards as part of its European integration efforts.

“We will progressively phase out the visa-free regime, considering the importance of certain countries as key source markets that significantly contribute to tourism, investment, and the overall economic activity in Montenegro,” he explained.

As indicated by Ibrahimović, the goal is for Montenegro to be fully aligned with EU standards by the time it gains membership.

He mentioned that, in collaboration with European partners, they are exploring solutions to balance the pace of fulfilling EU obligations with economic interests.

“Simultaneously, through amendments to the Law on Foreigners, we are intensively working on integrating the EU acquis pertaining to visa standards and procedures, enabling a smooth transition to full alignment with EU visa policies while mitigating potential economic repercussions,” Ibrahimović elaborated.

Addressing the government’s choice to withdraw Montenegro’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), he explained that this decision was made after a thorough analysis of the prevailing circumstances and strategic foreign policy priorities.

Ibrahimović highlighted that prioritizing internal reforms aimed at attaining EU membership and fulfilling international commitments is currently critical.

He recalled that Montenegro had submitted its candidacy for a non-permanent UNSC seat for the years 2026 and 2027 back in 2008, noting that continuous strategic actions following that submission had not materialized.

“Regrettably, for all these years since announcing our candidacy, there have been no substantial efforts directed toward securing a positive outcome,” Ibrahimović commented.

He also pointed out that the geopolitical landscape has shifted significantly since the submission of the candidacy, with Montenegro’s EU negotiations gaining new momentum over the past two years.

Ibrahimović stressed that withdrawing candidacies for international positions is a common practice, especially during competitive processes or in the lead-up to elections.

“Thus, there should be no misinterpretation that the decision to withdraw from the UNSC candidacy adversely affects Montenegro’s international standing or relations with allied nations, nor does it preclude the possibility of re-emphasizing our candidacy in the future,” he stated.

He assured that Montenegro remains deeply committed to the principles and missions of the United Nations (UN) and expressed gratitude to all UN member states that have supported its candidacy and acknowledged its dedication to multilateralism.

According to Ibrahimović, the backing and understanding received further motivate Montenegro to continue its robust support for global efforts in peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights.

“This is further qualified by the fact that after successful membership from 2022 to 2024, we have submitted our candidacy for the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the period 2030 to 2032,” Ibrahimović added.

Discussing relations with Croatia, Ibrahimović remarked on his numerous conversations over recent months with Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman.

“It was clearly expressed during our discussions, and corroborated by the Croatian minister publicly, that Montenegro can count on Croatia’s full support for its EU integration efforts and that Croatia envisions Montenegro as the next EU member,” Ibrahimović stated.

He noted that the renewed bilateral discussions, occurring after a five-year gap, signify a significant step forward.

“I believe we have demonstrated that, as neighboring friendly nations, we seek to engage in open bilateral dialogue concerning all unresolved issues to jointly arrive at mutually satisfactory resolutions,” Ibrahimović added.

When asked about the advancement of the ambassador appointment process and his expectations regarding filling the diplomatic and consular roles, Ibrahimović remarked that enhancing the diplomatic network and ensuring effective representation of Montenegro abroad have been his priorities since assuming office.

He mentioned ongoing discussions with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and President Jakov Milatović on this subject.

Ibrahimović confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) proposed the appointment of several ambassadors at the year’s start, with the procedures for two earlier proposed appointments recently completed.

“Given the specific nature of the ambassadorial appointment process, I am unable to provide a concrete timeline for when the initiated procedures will be finalized,” Ibrahimović noted.

He expressed his belief that current efforts to fill ambassadorial positions and strengthen diplomatic and consular mission capacities reflect a strong commitment to addressing this critical issue, as well as to responsibly advancing the foreign policy agenda.

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