On Thursday, Germany expressed optimism regarding Montenegro's efforts to join the European Union. Waigel, the German representative, made these remarks after his visit to Montenegro on Wednesday to attend the annual meeting of European foreign ministers within the framework of the "Berlin Process."
Significant Progress by Montenegro
Waigel wrote in a post on the social media platform X: "Montenegro has made significant progress on its path to EU membership and serves as an example for other Western Balkan countries." He also shared a photo of himself with Ibrahimovic, the host of the meeting, and thanked him for hosting the gathering. It was agreed at the meeting that "regional cooperation in the areas of reconciliation and reforms should be strengthened."
Prospects of Joining the European Union
The EU Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Koci, was also present at the discussions held in the coastal city of Budva. The EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans include Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. Kosovo is also considered a potential candidate for membership.
Montenegro is recognized as a frontrunner among the six candidate countries in the Western Balkans and has been pursuing its EU membership for 22 years. According to reports, public support for EU membership in Montenegro is around 80%, and the country hopes to be recognized as the 28th member of the EU by 2028.
Progress made in economic and democratic reforms has previously led the EU Enlargement Commissioner to announce the possibility of completing technical negotiations by the end of the year, making the 2028 timeline more realistic. Among other Western Balkan countries, Albania is also seen as a promising candidate, but Kosovo's path to EU membership faces more complexities, as five EU member states have yet to recognize its independence from Serbia.
