On the 2025 Commission report on Montenegro
A-10-2026-0143
Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Marjan Šarec
- Voted on · Adopted 486–101–75 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2025/2253
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Parliament's resolution on the 2025 Commission report on Montenegro welcomes the country's progress on EU accession and its ambition to finish negotiations by the end of 2026.¶¶ It calls for sustained reform on the rule of law, judicial appointments, corruption and organised crime, and for final convictions in high-level cases.¶¶¶ It raises concerns about foreign interference, disinformation and hybrid threats, and asks the EU and NATO to help Montenegro counter them.¶¶ It addresses minority rights, gender-based violence, media freedom and civil society, and calls for good neighbourly relations and resolution of war crime and property issues.¶¶¶ It covers socio-economic reforms, EU funding, SEPA, roaming, energy, environment and transport connectivity.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes that Parliament adopt the resolution welcoming Montenegro's progress, calling for sustained reforms on the rule of law, countering foreign interference, protecting fundamental rights and advancing socio-economic and environmental alignment.¶¶¶
Key points
- Welcomes Montenegro's progress, the provisional closure of 6 more negotiating chapters in 2025 and 2 in 2026, bringing the total to 14, and its ambition to complete negotiations by the end of 2026.¶
- Reaffirms Montenegro as the frontrunner and says enlargement must be based on individual merit and objective fulfilment of benchmarks.¶
- Encourages political actors to maintain momentum, ensure political stability and cross-party cooperation, and deliver measurable results in the rule of law, including final convictions in high-level corruption and organised crime cases.¶¶
- Welcomes Montenegro's full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy, including restrictive measures on Russia, and its participation in EU crisis management missions and NATO.¶¶¶
- Remains concerned by foreign interference, hybrid threats and disinformation by third-country actors, notes the malign influence of China, Russia and Serbia, and calls for EU and NATO support to counter them.¶¶
- Calls for stronger strategic communication on enlargement, noting that only 39 % of Montenegrin citizens feel well- or very well-informed about the EU.¶
- Welcomes electoral law amendments and urges full implementation of OSCE/ODIHR and GRECO recommendations on political party expenditure, online political advertising, state resources, voter registration and disinformation.¶
- Calls for faster merit-based judicial appointments, including to the Constitutional Court and the Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils, and expresses concern over delays in appointing a Constitutional Court judge.¶
- Calls for stronger action against high-level corruption, asset confiscation, and full independence of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, and for efficiency in prosecuting organised crime and money laundering.¶¶
- Calls on Montenegro to fully align its visa policy with the EU, a closing benchmark under Chapter 24, and notes the removal of several countries from its visa-free list in 2025.¶
- Regrets discrimination against national minorities, Roma and Egyptians, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ persons, and calls for implementation of the Law on Registered Partnerships and a de-institutionalisation strategy.¶¶¶
- Calls for action on gender-based violence, child marriage, media freedom and civil society, and for good neighbourly relations, war crime prosecutions, access to archives and resolution of property issues.¶¶¶
Who is affected
- Montenegro's government and parliament, which are asked to implement reforms and ensure political stability.¶¶
- Montenegro's judiciary and prosecutors, who are urged to improve independence, efficiency and track records on corruption and organised crime.¶¶¶
- National minorities, Roma and Egyptians, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ persons, who face discrimination and hate speech.¶
- Journalists, media and civil society, who face pressure and are protected by calls for media independence and transparency.¶¶¶
- The EU and NATO, which are asked to support Montenegro against hybrid threats and foreign interference.¶