Montenegro has set an ambitious timetable to fulfill nearly 500 of the 564 activities outlined in its European Union accession program this year, officials said, stressing that political stability and strengthened administrative capacity are key to success.
Biljana Papović, State Secretary at the Ministry of European Affairs, told Radio Montenegro that the plan, aligned with the European Commission, aims to close all negotiation chapters by the end of 2026.
“The commitments over the next two years are defined in the Accession Program, one of the country’s key strategic documents,” Papović said. “This year alone, almost 500 activities are planned, including 22 strategic documents, 48 laws, and 52 sub-legal acts directly linked to final criteria.”
She noted that previous experience demonstrates Montenegro’s ability to meet obligations on time, giving optimism that all negotiation chapters could be closed this year. Papović added that while Montenegro can ensure timely implementation, the European Commission’s evaluation process can take four to six months, underscoring why most activities are scheduled for the first two quarters of 2026.
Political stability remains a critical condition for implementing the accession plan, Papović said, while administrative capacities remain insufficient. She noted that around 40% of EU-related benchmarks involve strengthening institutional capacity.
EU Highlights Need for Stronger Internal Controls
Separately, the European Union’s so-called “Joint Position” for Chapter 32, covering financial oversight, calls on Montenegro to reinforce internal financial controls, especially in public enterprises and municipalities. It also emphasizes improving internal audit, risk management, and mechanisms for reporting fraud.
The document, adopted at an intergovernmental conference in Brussels on Monday, recognizes that Montenegro has developed a comprehensive regulatory, strategic, and operational framework in line with international standards. However, the EU expects further strengthening of public internal financial control, enhanced administrative capacity, and increased awareness among management and staff of the importance of effective internal controls and audits for responsible governance.
The EU also highlighted the need to protect the independence of the Central Bank of Montenegro, including transparent appointments of vice governors and board members, and noted progress in risk management and fraud prevention.
Montenegro began EU accession negotiations in 2012 and has temporarily closed 13 of 33 chapters. The government aims to close the remaining chapters in 2026, with EU membership targeted for 2028.