Babić Galić: Croatia is neither blocking nor blackmailing Montenegro
Croatia is neither blocking nor blackmailing Montenegro. It has clearly, transparently and in a timely manner stated what it expects from the country - said Special Adviser to the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vanda Babić Galić.
She made the remarks in Podgorica at the regional conference PLENUM 2026, entitled „Montenegro on the Threshold of the European Union (EU): The European Future of the Western Balkans Between Democracy and Geopolitics“.
Babić Galić said that Montenegro had a historic opportunity before it and that Croatia was extending an open and friendly hand.
- It saddens me when Croatia is portrayed as a country that is blocking Montenegro. Croatia is not blocking Montenegro or blackmailing it. It has clearly, transparently and in a timely manner told Montenegro what it expects from it and what it is asking of it - Babić Galić stated.
She said that two issues concerning the memorial plaque in Morinj and the name of the swimming pool in Kotor had been „addressed on paper“, or partially resolved.
As she pointed out, Croatia would not withhold its assistance on issues related to locating missing persons and prosecuting war crimes.
Babić Galić said she would like Montenegro to complete its EU accession negotiations by the end of the year.
Speaking about the resolution of property rights issues involving Croatian families, she said that erasing someone's land ownership from the land registry was not a European value.
Montenegro's Chief Negotiator with the EU, Predrag Zenović, said he was not authorised to comment on the negotiations taking place between Zagreb and Podgorica.
- I believe it is important to identify common ground and that it is a positive step for the relevant bodies and commissions, which have the expertise and legitimacy to address these issues, to meet and discuss each matter - Zenović stated.
He stressed that he was confident the negotiations were progressing well and expressed his belief that a solution would be reached.