Gorčević: Montenegro to close another negotiating chapter on Monday

The EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference, at which Montenegro will close another negotiating chapter with the European Union, will be held in Brussels on Monday, 26 January 2026.

This is more than good news for Montenegro. With a strong tailwind, we are entering the most important year of our integration path, said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević following today’s Cabinet session.

The Minister explained that this concerns Chapter 32 – Financial Control, which relates to the adoption of internationally accepted standards in the areas of public internal financial control, external audit and EU best practices, and their application across the entire public sector, as well as discipline and transparency in the use of national and EU funds.

Gorčević pointed to the very positive approach of Cyprus, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, noting that by scheduling the Intergovernmental Conference with Montenegro as early as January, Cyprus has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the goal of Montenegro’s EU membership by 2028.

And not only Cyprus as the presiding Member State, but all other EU Member States as well – by voting to close another chapter with Montenegro at the very beginning of the year, they are genuinely confirming their commitment to enlargement and to strengthening the European Union. At the same time, Member States are clearly demonstrating their determination for Montenegro to become the 28th EU Member State by 2028, Gorčević concluded.

The closure of Chapter 32 – Financial Control represents an important step forward for Montenegro on its path towards European Union membership and a clear signal of the trust the EU has in the ability of our institutions to protect the financial interests of both the state and the Union, and to manage public funds responsibly and transparently. This is another chapter within Cluster 1 – Fundamentals, the closure of which further strengthens the overall credibility of the reform process.

This success follows the closure of Chapter 5 – Public Procurement, in which the European Commission recognized the maturity of the system and the concrete results of reforms, confirming a high level of trust in Montenegrin institutions when it comes to control and transparency in the spending of public funds.

By closing Chapter 32, Montenegro takes an important further step toward meeting the final benchmarks for the closure of Cluster 1, which also includes the key Chapters 23 and 24, as well as the statistics chapter, all of which form the foundation of the entire accession negotiation process.

The particular significance of this chapter is reflected in the improvement of the system of internal financial controls, the strengthening of the independence and capacities of the State Audit Institution, and the protection of the EU’s financial interests and the euro against counterfeiting. This further confirms the European Union’s confidence in our institutional framework and our ability to assume the obligations of membership. With the establishment of a budget inspection, we have additionally strengthened oversight of public spending and sent a clear message that safeguarding financial operations and public funds is one of the key priorities of the Government of Montenegro.