Milatović for FAZ: Montenegro's entry into the EU would revive enlargement

The President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, gave an interview to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ahead of his working visit to Berlin.

The translation of the interview, which we publish in full below, was provided by the President's Office.

Montenegro is considered a frontrunner among the candidates for EU membership. On Wednesday, April 15, President Jakov Milatović will be in Berlin to lobby for enlargement.

Mr. President, the European Commission is highlighting Montenegro as a "frontrunner" among the candidates for membership. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says that enlargement is a real possibility for the first time in many years. Do you maintain your goal of Montenegro joining the EU in two years?

Milatović: Yes, we remain committed to that goal. Montenegro should become the 28th EU Member State by 2028, and we still consider that realistic. When President von der Leyen says that Montenegro is the frontrunner, it is not a surprise to us, because it has been that way for a long time. Of all ten candidate countries, Montenegro is the only one that has opened all negotiation chapters. We have also closed the most of them: 14 to date. During the Cypriot Presidency of the Council, we want to close more chapters. We hope to close all chapters by the end of this year, or during the next one, so that the second half of 2027 and 2028 will be left for the ratification of Montenegro's accession to the EU in the parliaments of the 27 Member States. Whether it will be 2028 or 2029 is not crucial, but it should happen during the mandate of the current Commission.

FAZ: Is that realistic?

Milatović: That is the basic scenario. The accession process changed after the Russian attack on Ukraine in early 2022. European politicians, in Brussels and in the member states, realized that enlargement was more than a technical process. They realized that it was closely linked to the security of the European continent. The process became geopolitical again.

FAZ: Serbia is the largest of Montenegro's five neighbors. Could Montenegro's actual accession to the EU give a boost to pro-European sentiments in Serbia, which have not been particularly strong recently?

Milatović: Montenegro's accession to the EU would have a broader significance: it would signal to all candidate countries that the enlargement process is alive. The last country to join the EU was Croatia in 2013, more than ten years ago. In the meantime, the United Kingdom has left. If Montenegro were to join now, it would have a huge positive effect on all candidate countries, including Serbia. The message would be clear: reforms and a new political culture pay off.

FAZ: The case of Hungary, however, has shown: a single member that systematically abuses its veto power can block the EU's foreign policy action. Do you understand why there is great skepticism in many member states about accepting another member with a veto power?

Milatović: That argument is being exaggerated. The EU currently has 27 member states and there is always a possibility that one of them could block certain things. So why are we focusing on Montenegro or any other potential new member? Even though we are not yet a member, we have been aligning our foreign and security policy with the EU for at least 15 years, almost completely, if not completely.

FAZ: Hungary was a loyal member of the EU in 2010. Then Viktor Orban came along. There is a fear that Montenegro could also produce an Orban tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and then block the EU.

Milatović: But that could also happen in France or Germany, right?

The key question is whether unanimous decision-making is the right model, or whether a qualified majority would be sufficient for certain decisions. That is more reasonable than speculating whether Montenegro could block something.

FAZ: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama recently proposed in a joint guest article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the hitherto intractable veto problem be circumvented by admitting qualified countries into the European single market and the Schengen area. Could this also be a temporary solution for Montenegro?

Milatović: I have read that, of course, and from the author's point of view it is quite legitimate. However, Montenegro is following the traditional EU accession process like all previous countries. We are negotiating to become a full member state.

FAZ: Perhaps you are overestimating the sympathy in Paris and Berlin for EU enlargement? In both countries, outside of Sunday speeches, there is no parliamentary majority for full membership of Montenegro.

Milatović: We will know that when the issue comes before the parliaments of these countries. As a pragmatic and reform-oriented politician, I focus on things that Montenegro can really control. We still have homework to do and we need to close the remaining 19 chapters of the accession process. At the same time, I am trying to carry out intensive diplomatic activity, not only in European institutions such as the Commission or the European Parliament, but also in each of the member states, because they will ultimately decide on our membership. I am not only talking to the heads of state and government, but also with parliaments, with various political actors, because we understand that Montenegro is joining the club of democratic countries in which governments can change. It is up to us to discuss the advantages of our accession not only with governments, but also with opposition parties.

FAZ: Behind the scenes, France has been hindering Montenegro at every step for some time now and is even delaying the establishment of a working group to prepare the accession treaty. It seems that it is not interested in new full-fledged EU members.

Milatović: It is true that in December we had something like a possible deadlock, when France almost blocked the closing of at least two negotiation chapters. However, I spoke directly with President Macron and clarified that. When I was in France, in addition to talking with the President, I also visited the parliament, presented Montenegro's efforts and answered many questions from French MPs, including some very difficult ones.

My impression is that President Macron is ready to support the admission of a new member to the EU.