Milatović meets with Sattler: European Commission Report confirms Montenegro can close all negotiating chapters by the end of the year
We have weeks ahead of us in which we can complete the task Montenegro embarked on fourteen years ago. What we need is responsibility, political unity and an unwavering focus on reforms. Membership in the European Union must remain a shared national goal - Milatović stated
The European Commission’s (EC) Report confirms that Montenegro can close all negotiating chapters by the end of this year, provided that the country maintains and further accelerates the pace of reforms, President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović said as he received the document from the Ambassador and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Montenegro Johann Sattler.
As he pointed out, Montenegro has never been closer to EU membership.
- The European Commission confirms that we can conclude the negotiations by the end of this year. It is now the responsibility of all political and institutional stakeholders to seize this historic opportunity and get the job done - Milatović stressed.
The European Commission assessed that Montenegro had made progress towards EU membership and that, subject to the agreement of the Member States, the remaining negotiating chapters could be provisionally closed by the end of the year. Work on the Accession Treaty is already underway, and it could be signed by June 2027.
The President said he was particularly encouraged by the fact that the accession process had entered its concrete final phase, including preparations for the Accession Treaty and the financial arrangements for Montenegro following its accession.
- Our goal remains clear: Montenegro as the 28th member of the European Union by 2028. This Report shows that this goal is achievable and depends primarily on us and the quality of the reforms we implement - Milatović said.
He stressed that the positive assessments must not be a reason for complacency and pointed to areas in which the European Commission expects further results.
In particular, he highlighted the Commission’s finding that the number of final convictions in high-level corruption cases remains low.
- Citizens must see that institutions are functioning and that the fight against high-level corruption is producing tangible results. This is precisely one of the key tasks that still lies ahead of us - Milatović stated.
He also referred to the European Commission’s assessments concerning economic and fiscal policy, including fiscal vulnerabilities and the need for responsible management of public finances. He reiterated that all economic reforms affecting wages, pensions and public finances must be based on comprehensive analyses and open dialogue, in order to ensure that improvements in living standards are sustainable in the long term.
According to the President’s Office, Milatović and Sattler also discussed the next steps in the accession process and the need to maintain broad political consensus on European integration.
- We have weeks ahead of us in which we can complete the task Montenegro embarked on fourteen years ago. What we need is responsibility, political unity and an unwavering focus on reforms. Membership in the European Union must remain a shared national goal - Milatović concluded.