Montenegro will formally close three chapters in its negotiations with the European Union during an intergovernmental conference in Brussels, set to begin at 18:00. These chapters include intellectual property rights, the information society and media, and enterprise and industry policy.
However, the closure of a fourth chapter, covering foreign, security, and defense policy, was expected but blocked by Croatia. The blockage occurred during an ambassadors’ meeting held three days prior to the conference, preventing the completion of this critical chapter.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Balkans, Montenegro’s former Minister for EU Integration, Gordana Đurović, commented that this outcome was not ideal due to ongoing issues between Montenegro and Croatia. She emphasized that the delay in closing the foreign policy chapter highlights the challenges still present in Montenegro’s EU accession process, particularly regarding unresolved disputes with Croatia. This situation underscores the hurdles Montenegro must overcome to progress in its EU negotiations.
