During her visit to Montenegro, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the country is closer than ever to achieving its goal of joining the European Union, but warned that faster reforms-particularly in the area of the rule of law-remain essential to complete the accession process.
Following talks with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Kos said the two discussed the work required to close the remaining negotiating chapters, highlighting Chapter 27 on environment and climate change as one of the key priorities. As part of her visit, she joined a clean-up initiative in the Bay of Kotor, emphasizing that the EU accession process can deliver tangible improvements to citizens’ everyday lives while helping preserve Montenegro’s natural heritage.
Kos also met with Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić and representatives of the ethnic Serbian community, underlining that EU membership must remain a national project supported across the political spectrum. She welcomed the recent agreement between the ruling majority and the opposition, noting that it had already produced results, including the adoption of constitutional amendments required for alignment with EU legislation with the backing of more than 90% of members of parliament.
Montenegro remains the most advanced EU candidate country in the Western Balkans, and Brussels continues to view it as the frontrunner in the enlargement process. European officials have repeatedly stated that maintaining political consensus and accelerating reforms could enable the country to move significantly closer to membership in the coming years.
