Montenegro remains the most advanced Western Balkan country in EU accession talks, but its progress toward membership has slowed amid institutional fragility, political tension, and lingering corruption, according to the European Commission’s 2025 report published in Brussels on November 4.
The EU executive said the small Adriatic state “maintained focus on the EU integration agenda” and continued to perform under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, but domestic politics and weak governance hindered reforms in key areas of the rule of law, judicial independence and public administration.
Political gridlock and institutional crisis
The report describes a democracy still vulnerable to political crisis. A decision by parliament in December 2024 to unilaterally retire a Constitutional Court judge triggered months of political paralysis and raised alarm about separation of powers. The Venice Commission later confirmed that the move was unconstitutional.
Although the government, a coalition of diverse parties, operated in a generally stable environment, its effectiveness was undermined by poor coordination and frequent reliance on conference calls instead of formal cabinet sessions. The parliament’s oversight of the executive also weakened, with irregular appearances by the prime minister and rising political pressure on prosecutors.
Electoral reform made limited headway. Amendments adopted in July improved gender representation on party lists but fell short of OSCE and EU standards for transparency and inclusiveness. The European Commission urged further revisions to the law on political financing to prevent abuse of state resources during campaigns.
Rule of law: Progress on paper, problems in practice
Montenegro made moderate progress in judicial reform but continued to face challenges in enforcing accountability. A new president of the Supreme Court was appointed through a transparent process, and judicial salaries rose by 30 percent — a step praised by Brussels. However, the courts still suffer from a large backlog and delays in high-profile cases.
The constitutional reform process aimed at strengthening the independence of the judiciary remains unfinished. The Commission warned that Montenegro must urgently proceed with merit-based appointments to top judicial and prosecutorial bodies.
The fight against corruption showed mixed results. The track record on investigations and prosecutions improved slightly, but convictions remain rare. “The lack of deterrent penalties continues to contribute to a perception of impunity,” the report said. The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption operated under resource constraints and still lacks a full-term director.
Visa policy and security setbacks
Montenegro also came under criticism for diverging from the EU’s visa policy when it granted exemptions to several non-EU countries, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, although some of these were later reversed. The Commission said this move represented a “serious regression” in alignment with EU standards.
Efforts to strengthen the fight against organised crime continued with the adoption of a new transnational crime strategy and the establishment of a 24/7 coordination centre. Still, law enforcement bodies remain understaffed, and corruption within the police and judiciary poses risks to investigations.
Public administration and economic challenges
The government adopted a new civil service law to professionalise the bureaucracy, but recruitment delays, acting appointments and political interference persist. The public administration reform strategy remains largely unimplemented, while fiscal governance is constrained by a high public debt and weak revenue collection.
Economic growth slowed in 2024 and early 2025 due to weaker tourism exports and increased social spending. Although the business climate improved with a new Company Law and progress on e-government services, the state-owned enterprise sector still lacks transparency and oversight.
Pockets of progress
Brussels acknowledged Montenegro’s steady performance in foreign and security policy, noting that it continues to “fully align with EU positions and sanctions,” including those against Russia. The country also made progress in aligning with the EU acquis in several technical chapters, provisionally closing negotiations on public procurement, company law and digital transformation.
Reforms in media freedom and human rights advanced modestly. Montenegro maintained a pluralistic media landscape, with continued zero tolerance for violence against journalists, though regulatory bodies remain partially staffed. The government also drafted new anti-discrimination and data protection laws, still awaiting parliamentary approval.
Slow but steady
While Montenegro remains the region’s frontrunner, the Commission’s tone has shifted from encouragement to caution. It praised progress in formal alignment but warned that “implementation remains uneven and politicisation persistent.”
Critics within the EU say the government must demonstrate stronger results in prosecuting corruption and depoliticising institutions to regain momentum. The report concludes that Montenegro’s EU trajectory will depend less on new laws and more on “sustained political will to deliver credible and measurable reforms.”