Ivanović: Reform process strengthens Montenegro’s European perspective

In an interview with Focus Europe, Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Filip Ivanović, outlines the advanced state of the country's accession negotiations, the challenges that remain, and Podgorica's geopolitical vision in a Europe that is enlarging towards the Western Balkans.

Montenegro was the last country in the region to gain independence, yet today it is the most advanced in the European integration process. How do you explain this paradox?

Montenegro is an old country, but over the past century it was part of the "various Yugoslavias" until the 2006 referendum, through which it regained its independence. Integration into the European Union has been the primary goal of Montenegro's foreign policy from the very beginning, and that is why we opened accession negotiations fourteen years ago.

We have achieved a number of successes, especially over the past two and a half years. I must say that the negotiations intensified after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when the entire landscape changed and the European Union began to think in a more strategic, geopolitical way. Fortunately, it came to understand that enlargement is part of this broader vision of the Union as a geopolitical player.

We understood that as well, and we decided to seize the moment. In 2024, we became the first - and so far the only - country to receive a positive IBAR (Interim Benchmark Assessment Report) from the European Commission, the interim report on Chapters 23 and 24, which deal with the rule of law and the fight against corruption. From that point on, it became possible to close chapters: we have already closed fourteen of them, almost half. Our goal is to close all of them by the end of the year. Our catchphrase is simple: "28 by 28."

In which areas is Montenegro facing the greatest difficulties, and are you already negotiating transitional periods for implementation?

From a political point of view, I would not say that there are or will be any problems for Montenegro, because the government is one hundred per cent committed to this process, and all the parties represented in Parliament are pro-European. As a result, all laws in Parliament are adopted without any votes against.

From a technical point of view, one of the most important challenges concerns Chapter 27, on environment and sustainability, because there is a vast body of European rules that we must adopt - and not only adopt, but also implement. So this is the chapter where we will probably seek transitional periods.

In addition, Chapter 24, on visa policy, is also important for us. The issue concerns citizens of countries that currently do not need a visa to enter Montenegro, but do need one to enter European Union countries. This is important for us because Montenegro depends on tourism and on visitors from various countries, including those whose citizens need a visa to enter the European Union. But we have also decided to do what is necessary, and by September or October this, too, will be completed.

The final issue concerns Montenegro's administrative capacities, but at the moment we are working around the clock. I must say that we are receiving assistance not only from the European Commission, but also from various EU member states, including Italy, which are sending experts to work in different ministries and departments and help our officials do everything that is required. So, with political will on the one hand and technical assistance on the other, this goal is realistic, and we all hope, of course, that it will happen.

I would also like to underline in particular the excellent relations Montenegro enjoys with Italy, which we continue to nurture, as well as Italy's strong support for our path towards accession to the European Union. Our bilateral cooperation is very solid, and we are especially grateful for the assistance Italy provided during last year's wildfires.

How do Montenegrin citizens perceive the European integration process, and how do you communicate to them what it concretely means to join the Union?

Public support for accession to the European Union has always been very high, consistently ranging between 70 and 80 per cent of citizens. There are no real problems with public perception, although I must say that public opinion, as always and everywhere, is volatile. For example, almost two years ago we were supposed to close four chapters in Brussels, but in the end we closed three. A few weeks later, support for the European Union had declined. Then, after one or two months, we closed the fourth chapter and public support went back up to 80 per cent.

People probably do not know the content of every chapter, they do not know the technical rules, but they do understand that promises are being made and that those promises must be kept. If they are not kept, this has an impact on public opinion. That is why I always say that keeping promises is the best way to ensure stable public opinion. If promises are not fulfilled, then anything is possible. There is room for other voices from outside the European Union to convince some people that perhaps the European Union is not the best choice for Montenegro. And we have seen that happen in various other countries. Here in Montenegro, however, without success.

As for how we communicate, we try to inform our citizens almost every day about everything related to the European Union. Our Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, also has a communication programme with citizens not only through social media or television news, but also through direct contact. Very often she visits different municipalities across Montenegro to speak with citizens, mayors, students and entrepreneurs, trying to explain what it means to be a member of the European Union.

One of the most important issues for our citizens is the rule of law, because they see the European Union as an example - of course not always a perfect one - but still an example of a functioning rule-of-law system, where everyone is equal before the law and institutions are independent and transparent. And that is what our citizens want.

What can Montenegro offer the European Union? What is its strategic value for the member states?

First of all, from a strategic point of view, Montenegro's geographic position speaks for itself. It is a rather small country, but it lies at the heart of the Mediterranean and of Europe, and it is also a NATO member state.

Beyond that, we can add our natural beauty, the kindness of our people, and the fact that we are a multicultural and multireligious society - a society that can truly contribute in a constructive way to the diverse identity of the European Union. From an economic point of view, Montenegro can be a crucial point when it comes to trade and the economy, given its geographic position.

Montenegro already uses the euro as its currency, even though it is not yet a member of the European Union. How did this process come about?

The dinar was the currency throughout Yugoslavia. But for economic reasons, at the time the dinar was a very weak currency, so the Government of Montenegro unilaterally decided to adopt the Deutsche Mark as its currency. Consequently, when Germany decided to adopt the euro, we naturally followed suit.

But there are two important points to make here. The first is that this makes life easier not only for us, but also for visitors who come here. Secondly, since we use the euro, Montenegro cannot create any fiscal or economic problem for the European Union, because we are tied to the euro and linked to the Deutsche Bank.

Have there been external attempts - particularly from Russia - to divert Montenegro from its path towards European integration?

There is always concern on the part of the government when it comes to attempts to influence Montenegro's domestic politics and its foreign-policy orientation. These attempts exist almost everywhere, including in European Union countries, and of course they are and will continue to be present in the countries of our region as well.

But I always say: let us measure the success of these attempts by the results. If, as I said, we have made so much progress in negotiations with the European Union, if we have been, remain, and will continue to be fully aligned with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, that means these attempts have not been successful.

That said, as I mentioned earlier, promises must be kept, because if they are not, space opens up for various influences. By contrast, progress in negotiations with the European Union, or a stronger presence of the European Union here in Montenegro - but also in other countries of the region - means that any possible or potential attempt to influence these countries' domestic politics remains unsuccessful. All of this happens when promises made to citizens are not kept.

At the moment, we do not have that problem in Montenegro. We are making great progress in negotiations with the European Union, but we must maintain this pace and we must reach the end of the negotiations, because otherwise there is a possibility that other countries which see their legitimate or illegitimate interests here, in this country, may step forward.

What are relations like among the Western Balkan countries that are candidates for accession? Is there genuine cooperation, or does competition prevail?

In our region, relations are generally good, though at times complex. All the countries have declared that they want to be part of the European Union, but we are at different stages of the accession process. Montenegro is the most advanced candidate, then comes Albania, while other countries are not fully aligned with the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy - and that is a problem for them.

However, regional cooperation is a condition for cooperation with the European Union, and there are various initiatives in the region that promote such cooperation. One of them is the Berlin Process, launched in 2014, whose presidency Montenegro will assume this year. It will be an opportunity to reaffirm regional cooperation, which is very practical, since it concerns infrastructure, education, social security and so on.

At times, relations are complex even within the Berlin Process itself, but it will be up to Montenegro to try to reconcile all the different views that exist in the region. As a country, we obviously support the European perspective of all the countries in the region. I believe that the European solution is not only the best one, but the only one.

The full interview in Italian is available at the following link: https://www.focuseurope.it/28-by-28-il-montenegro-sara-il-prossimo-membro-dellunione-europea-dice-il-vice-primo-ministro-per-gli-esteri/