Despite statistics that may indicate the success of Montenegro’s European integration, the broader context calls this success into question, and the political environment does not resemble that of a country on its way to imminent EU membership, as assessed in the latest episode of Civic Corner, produced by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) on TV E.
In mid-2024, Montenegro received a positive IBAR, and by the end of the year closed three negotiation chapters, joined the SEPA system, and completed the Reform Agenda document. However, just a few days after receiving the IBAR, Montenegro damaged relations with an EU member – neighboring Croatia. Of the ten chapters that were said to be closed, over four in a later announcement, only three were closed at the end of the year. The day after the intergovernmental conference in Brussels, Montenegro entered a constitutional crisis, numerous important laws were not passed, and the first day of 2025 began with a tragedy, a mass murder in Cetinje, the second in the last two years. In response, students and citizens have taken to the streets, demanding accountability in the security sector.
In the Civic Corner, guests of Zvezdana Kovač, Strategy and Outreach Director of CCE, who discussed these issues from different angles, were former Montenegrin diplomats – Miodrag Lekić and Boro Vučinić, Vanda Babić-Galić, Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, and Srećko Đukić, a former diplomat from Serbia.
Miodrag Lekić stated that “Montenegro is not an isolated island, but a part of the world” noting that current circumstances are influenced by the “chaotic flows” in 2024 and the crisis wthin the Union itself. “There were encouraging moments in Montenegro, but on the other hand, foreign policy has become a battleground between the Government and the opposition… We have made progress, but we did not achieve something called state unity, a cohesion of forces to push this process forward together,” Lekić said.
Former Ambassador of Montenegro to Croatia, Boro Vučinić, highlighted the discrepancy between promises and announcements, primarily by the Prime Minister of Montenegro, regarding the closure of numerous chapters, while in the end the most important ones remained unresolved. “We did not complete those that are crucial to us – foreign relations and security and defense. The reasons are the failure to fulfill obligations within that chapter and the deterioration of relations with our neighbors, which is the core of that chapter,” said Vučinić. Recalling the complexity of Montenegrin-Croatian relations due to recent in the 1990s, Vučinić stated that everything should have been done to achieve reconciliation.
In reference to the consequences of the worsening relations with Croatia for Montenegro’s European integration process, Lekić stressed that nothing happened in a day, but that these disputes have been ongoing and that, unlike Montenegro, Croatia appears to protect its interests. “The resolution on Jasenovac did not help, it obviously hindered and should have been carefully considered beforehand regarding its consequences. However, issues like Prevlaka and other unresolved situations existed before,” noted Lekić.
Vanda Babić-Galić belives that that Montenegro can fulfill its obligations, if it really wants to, and underlines that this is her personal wish, as well as the wish of the Republic of Croatia, which has demonstrated support for Montenegro on its European path in recent years. “It is very important to maintain the focus on European reforms, understanding that good neighbourly relations are a key element of the enlargement process. We have continuously insisted on resolving open issues through constructive dialogue. We expected Montenegro to show readiness to address these issues and refrain from any disruptive activities that could jeopardize its European path,” said Babić-Galić. She pointed out that these open issues have existed for over 30 years, and those relations deteriorated due to actions from Montenegro shortly after the IBAR in June last year. “We understood the resolution as an attempt to draw Croatia into internal political relations and instrumentalize us for certain political goals. We found this unacceptable, inappropriate, and unnecessary,” she asserted.
“Despite external obstacles, Montenegro has the capacity to complete its European agenda on time,” believes Srećko Đukić, emphasizing that “our countries have no other or better alternative than the European one – it is not BRICS, nor the ‘Serbian world’, nor the ‘Russian world’. Serbia itself should be oriented towards the European path.” Đukić reminded that Serbia has not opened a single negotiation chapter for years. “If someone were to analyze where Serbia is currently on that path, they would see that it is at the beginning. In that sense, and in its relationship with Montenegro and other neighbors, Serbia is creating obstacles through various inventions that it is marketing to fraternal parties in Montenegro. This is a model that will exhaust itself, but we will suffer great damage – Montenegro will be hindered, and Serbia has already been halted on its European path,” said Đukić.
“It is unacceptable that no one from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro is in the studio (despite being invited) because the citizens of Montenegro must know what the official position of Montenegro,” said Lekić, commenting on recent bilateral consultations in Zagreb between the State Secretaries of Foreign Affairs of Croatia and Montenegro and the Montenegrin public’s lack of information beyond a brief statement.
Vučinić shares this view and sees no justification for the absence of anyone from the MFA, especially since a representative from the Croatian MFA is present. He does not believe that any spectacular events occurred during that first meeting. “For four years, we have not had an ambassador in the Republic of Croatia or a mission chief with the rank of ambassador. That is not good, because Croatia is perhaps the most important neighbor regarding our foreign policy priorities,” said Vučinić. “The border issue is our most important open foreign policy matter.We have had a regime since 2002, concluded by the FRY with Croatia and Montenegro, which we continued to apply after gaining independence. However, this issue needs to be resolved,” he explained, adding that it has been taken lightly so far, with the belief that if a mutual solution is not reached, the dispute will be submitted to the International Court of Justice in The Hague in a civilized manner.
“It is impossible to separate Prevlaka from the Bay of Kotor, that sharp peak forms a whole and that narrow basin of Boka Kotorska is rounded off with Prevlaka. The dilemma is whether that basin has two owners or one. Montenegro has the obligation, the right and the duty to fight for the peak of Prevlaka to belong to Montenegro and for the Bay of Kotor to be what it was in Istria, a single whole,” said Lekić, pointing out the complexity of the dispute and the arguments of both sides.
“Croatia does not agree with Mr Lekić’s views,” said Babić-Galić. “Croatia has a clear position on both the issue of the ship Jadran and on Prevlaka. We have never made a secret, we have always said clearly and transparently – for Croatia, the land border is indisputable, Prevlaka is part of Croatia and within internationally recognized borders, and there are no negotiations about that,” she countered, stating that Croatia is ready to confront arguments with Montenegro even if it has to go to the International Court of Justice in Hamburg over the Jadran ship or to the one in The Hague over Prevlaka.
The entire show is available at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3UOfUMEguk
Maja Marinović, Programme associate