Montenegro Eyes EU Membership in 2028, Stresses Rule of Law as Top Priority

Montenegro’s Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorcevic, at the EU Meets the Balkans forum in Sofia, April 17, 2025 (BTA Photo/Hristo Kasabov)

Sofia,

17.04.2025 16:49

(BTA)

Montenegro eyes EU membership in 2028 and stresses rule of law as a top priority. This transpired Thursday from remarks by Montenegro’s Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorcevic, at the EU Meets the Balkans forum in Sofia.

The event is organized by the European Liberal Forum, the ALDE Party, and the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria with the participation of Vice President Iliana Iotova, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, representatives from Turkiye, Romania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Montenegro, Bulgarian MPs and policy experts.

Gorcevic said that the most important thing is the rule of law, because her country knows that it cannot complete the accession negotiations and join the EU without it. She noted that Montenegro is most likely to become a member of the European Union by 2028.

Around 80% of Montenegrin citizens support EU membership, which she said makes it the government’s duty to stay on this path. Montenegro has a good program and a strong pace, she added.

Montenegro's main goal is to close all chapters by the end of 2026 and to negotiate with member states throughout 2027.

/NF/