Grlić Radman hinted at the possibility of finding a solution that would enable the unblocking of Chapter 31 with Montenegro

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman hinted today at the possibility of finding a solution that would enable the unblocking of Chapter 31 with Montenegro in membership negotiations with the European Union (EU), Radio Free Europe reports.

Speaking on the issue, Grlić Radman confirmed that he met with his Montenegrin counterpart Ervin Ibrahimović on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans ministerial meeting.

According to him, everything is moving towards resolving open issues.

"It is in our interest that open issues do not burden the accession process, but of course also good neighbourly relations in the long term. The more open issues we resolve, the better and stronger our relations will be. Croatia will be even more engaged because it is in our interest to have neighbours with whom we share equal values," Grlić Radman told reporters.

In December 2024, Croatia blocked the closure of Chapter 31 in the accession negotiations between Montenegro and the EU.

It is a chapter that relates to foreign, security and defense policy.

In addition to the open issues that have existed with Zagreb for a long time, the situation has become more complicated since the Parliament of Montenegro adopted a Resolution on the genocide in Jasenovac at the end of June.

Zagreb considered this a provocation and declared three high-ranking Montenegrin officials as persons undesirable in Croatia.

Montenegro has so far closed 14 out of a total of 33 negotiation chapters in the EU membership negotiations process, and the consent of all EU member states is required for each opening and closing of a chapter.