The European path is long but worth the effort, provided that it becomes more than just a political slogan. Otherwise, we will be the best among the bad – and that will not be a European success, but a regional failure, is the conclusion of the new episode of the Centre for Civic Education’s (CCE) programme Citizens’ Angle on TVE, in which the guests of Zvezdana Kovač, Strategy and Outreach Director at the CCE, were Miloš Radonjić, Adviser on European Affairs to the President of Montenegro, VladimirMeđak, EU integration expert from Belgrade, and Miloš Šolaja, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Banja Luka.
When asked where the region might be in five years – in the EU or on the margins of Europe, the guests agreed that Montenegro and Albania could be the first to close chapters and join the Union, while the other countries are still far from that goal.
“I want to believe that at least two Western Balkan states – Montenegro and Albania – will be members of the European Union by 2030,” said Miloš Radonjić. “The current geopolitical situation gives us momentum, because the enlargement policy has once again gained a security dimension. At this moment, enlargement policy and Europe’s security are placed on the same level,” he added.
Professor Miloš Šolaja believes that Montenegro and Albania could be “close to the Union”, but that the rest of the region is lagging behind. “B&H certainly will not be a member of the EU by 2030,” he said. “Despite the rhetoric, the internal system is blocked, reform processes are delayed, and Europe treats us bureaucratically, without a genuine understanding of our complex situation,”Šolaja assessed.
Vladimir Međak believes that the enlargement process will likely unfold in groups. “I think a group will be formed consisting of Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, while Bosnia and Macedonia will remain in the second circle. Serbia can progress only if there is a change of regime,” he said.
The interlocutors agreed that Montenegro enjoys the greatest support from the EU and is, in formal terms, closest to membership. However, they warn that political instability and a lack of institutional discipline undermine its credibility.
“It is true that the EU now provides us with incomparably greater support than before. Montenegro will host the EU – Western Balkans summit and, next year, the Berlin Process as well. These are clear signals of trust. But this does not mean that the job is done. Consistent implementation of reforms and avoiding mistakes we have already made are necessary,” Radonjić said. As an example of such mistakes, he pointed to the Resolution on Jasenovac, Mauthausen and Dachau. “It was an ill-considered move that slowed us down and distanced us from Chapter 31, even though we had been in an advanced stage of readiness in that area,” Radonjić recalled. He added that Montenegro faces “14 months of decisive work” and that the commitments are clearly defined. “The list of tasks is known. We must stay on course and avoid deviations,” he said.
Međak also confirmed that signals are arriving from Brussels that the final step is being prepared. “The European Commission is already beginning to prepare the final financial package and the accession treaty for Montenegro, which is not done without a political decision. So, the door is open, unless you sabotage the opportunity yourselves,” he added. At the same time, he warned that success is not measured only by technical chapters. “You will not enter the EU as the 105th country in the world in terms of corruption. The EU will not import problems, especially not in the rule of law and media freedom,” Međak stated.
Regarding Serbia, Međak believes that “Serbia today is a country that would not even obtain candidate status if it applied now. The European Commission explicitly stated that the Serbian authorities must stop conducting anti-European propaganda, and this is unprecedented in the history of enlargement.” In his view, “Serbia’s biggest problem is not Kosovo, but corruption and the collapse of institutions.”
“Kosovo is a political problem, but corruption paralyses the entire state. You cannot resolve any issue until you establish a functional government and free elections,” Međak explained.
“I do not know your situation well enough, but I can say that propaganda in Serbia is far too strong. On the nationally licensed broadcasters, Xi Jinping has zero seconds of negative reporting, and the EU is treated as a neutral topic. This has been the case for 13 years. Such propaganda spills over into Montenegro as well,” Međak said when asked about the so-called ‘Serbian World’ and Belgrade’s influence on the region. He explained that this strategy has a geopolitical dimension. “The European Parliament has stated that Serbia and Hungary are pursuing the goals of Russia and China in the region. That is why I am certain that without a change of government Serbia cannot advance,” he concluded.
Professor Šolaja spoke about the deep structural problems in B&H. “Bosnia and Herzegovina is a compilation of all the negative elements of the Western Balkans. There is no ruling coalition, the Council of Ministers is blocked, the reform agenda is delayed, and the country has lost EUR 100 million from the European Growth Plan,” he pointed out. “European integration in B&H is more of an ideological mantra than a real process. It is as if we are repeating the old socialist promise – when we join the EU, everything will be resolved. People no longer believe in this. When asked how they see themselves in the EU, they hesitate. And when asked whether they could manage without it – they say they could, if possible,” Šolaja said.
He emphasised that the key challenge is the lack of internal consensus and responsibility. “B&H is a global experiment, a country with a foreign governor and internal conflicts. The European Union ignores this – it deals with bureaucracy, not substance,” he explained, adding that the EU does not show genuine interest in B&H.
Radonjić considers that the decline in the trust of Montenegrin citizens in the EU, which research indicates, is a serious signal. “This is a sign that we are reaching the limit of patience. The essence of this process is how and in what way we implement the European way of life in Montenegro. You can to some extent even simulate a pro-European course, but the time will come, or is already coming, when you must show in practice whether you are truly Europeans and whether you want European practice,” he said.
Šolaja warned of the need for a referendum to confirm the citizens’ will for EU accession. “It is not governments or laws that join the EU, but citizens. If they do not understand what they are voting for, everything collapses,” he stressed.
Radonjić pointed out that Montenegro’s EU accession would be a positive signal for the region. “It would be proof that enlargement continues and that reforms pay off. It would show that democracy is possible in the Balkans,” he said, adding that Montenegro already behaves as a member state in many respects. “We use the euro, we respect the common foreign and security policy, we are a NATO member. Accession to the EU would be the logical conclusion of this process,” he noted.
Šolaja agreed with Radonjić’s view but suggested that the EU’s policy towards the region must be less bureaucratic and more substantive. “The European Union must understand the region’s specificities. There is too much formality and too little political will. If this does not change, the Balkans will remain a waiting room,” Šolaja said.
“Montenegro’s accession would be the best news for everyone, except for those who fear Europe,” Međak concluded.
The full episode is available at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1_Saa_Pqs
The programme was produced within the REGIONAL PLENUM 2025 – Cracks in Democracy: Nationalism and Clericalism in the Western Balkans, organised by the CCE, the Regional Academy for Democratic Development (ADD), the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo and the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). The content of the episode is the sole responsibility of the guests featured in the programme.
Maja Marinović, Programme associate