Gorčević: Montenegro’s EU Membership Will Send a Message That Democratic Reforms and Alignment with European Values Are Rewarded

“Montenegro’s successful accession will restore confidence in the European project across the Western Balkans and strengthen the transformative power of the EU. I am convinced that our membership will contribute to long-term political stability and security in Southeast Europe and send a strong political message that democratic reforms and alignment with European values are rewarded,” said Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.

In Paris, she participated in a working breakfast organized by the Jacques Delors Institute, where she discussed with researchers of enlargement and EU integration, professors, and political science students what Montenegro’s membership would bring to the EU. Representatives of the Jacques Delors Institute and its Centre for Greater Europe took part in the event, along with associates from leading European think tanks and research organizations, including the Jean Jaurès Foundation and the European Union Institute for Security Studies.

Gorčević said that EU membership represents the most important political and social issue for Montenegro, carrying significant implications for both the European Union and France.

“In recent years, Montenegro has achieved strong internal consolidation and, despite challenges, we have united around one common goal: membership in the European Union,” said Gorčević.

She pointed out that the current 44th Government defined European integration as the primary and uncompromising goal of the entire institutional framework and all branches of government, which enabled Montenegro to receive the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR) for Chapters 23 and 24 in 2024, making us the first candidate country from the Western Balkans to achieve this. She recalled that 11 negotiating chapters had been closed over the past two years.

“The pace of our work and the level of technical preparedness regarding the fulfillment of final benchmarks in the remaining 19 chapters show that we have the capacity to close them all by the end of this year,” the minister said, expressing the expectation that, due to the full commitment of both society and institutions to the process of Europeanization, Montenegro would become the 28th member state of the EU by 2028.

Speaking about the costs and benefits of Montenegro’s EU membership, Gorčević said that the financial costs for the EU are extremely limited, while the political and strategic gains are significant.

“Montenegro offers the EU direct access to additional opportunities in energy, transport, tourism, and maritime connectivity in the Adriatic region. Our country can also serve as a model and positive example for other candidates from the Western Balkans, accelerating reforms across the entire region,” Gorčević emphasized.

The minister stressed that Montenegro’s accession would confirm that the EU enlargement policy remains credible and effective more than 13 years after the last accession.

Participants in the gathering welcomed Montenegro’s efforts on its European path, as well as the strong support of Montenegrin citizens for EU membership. They expressed interest in reforms in the areas of the rule of law and the environment, as well as in the institutional and administrative capacities for the successful implementation of obligations by the end of the year.

It was jointly assessed that Montenegro’s membership would bring multiple benefits not only to our country, but also to the EU.