The next steps regarding the process of Montenegro’s accession to the European Union were discussed on Friday during a meeting between the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, and the Minister of European Integration of Montenegro, Maida Gorčević, at the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, in Nicosia.

Raouna pointed out that her Montenegro counterpart’s visit “is important both in terms of symbolism, but also in terms of substance, right at the beginning of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.”

“For the Cyprus Presidency, enlargement is a key priority. We understand well the transformative power of enlargement for the countries. We’ve experienced it firsthand, and it’s a transformation process that continues even after accession,” she noted.

At the same time, she said that “right now there is a renewed momentum when it comes to the enlargement process,” adding that “we need to seize this momentum in order to ensure that enlargement remains credible, and that means that where our partners deliver, the European Union delivers as well.”

The Deputy Minister for European Affairs pointed out that “Montenegro is a frontrunner in the enlargement process, you have demonstrated remarkable commitment to the reform agenda, and that is the reason why there is this tangible process.” She went on to say that “we were able to experience it as well in the first IGC for Montenegro under the Cyprus Presidency, which took place last month – we closed one chapter, bringing the number of chapters that have closed to 13.” She further noted that “this is an IGC that took place only 40 days since the last one, and this is also indicative of the impressive work that takes place by Montenegro.”

“You are living proof that where there is political commitment by our partners, there is tangible progress,” Raouna emphasised. Pointing to the fact that for Montenegro, there is 100% CFSP alignment, she noted that “there is no better proof that you’re strategically aligned with the European Union.”

“Enlargement is part of expanding our zone of stability, security, and prosperity, and this is very much how we view it,” she said.

The Deputy Minister for European Affairs said that she discussed with her Montenegro counterpart the next steps in their common roadmap, the chapters where the work is underway right now, the preparation of the next intergovernmental conferences to close more chapters, as well as the priority of the Cyprus Presidency to set up the ad hoc working party for the Accession Treaty of Montenegro, which “will be an important next step.”

“The Western Balkans are Europe, and Europe is the Western Balkans, and we very much look forward to working together to progress the accession negotiations from Montenegro, leading up also to the EU-Western Balkans Summit, which will take place in June,” she concluded.

On her part, the Minister of European Integration of Montenegro, Maida Gorčević, congratulated Cyprus for organising her visit as well as Montenegro IGC in Brussels, where one fundamental chapter was closed. “This is a strong signal and also strong commitment from the Cyprus Presidency that we can keep up with the closing of the rest of the chapters during your presidency until the end of June,” she pointed out.

Gorčević assured Raouna that Montenegro is “a credible partner. We are a partner that you can count on, two Mediterranean countries with similar culture, with similar administration, and a lot of good bilateral communication and good relations”, she said. She also assured her Cypriot counterpart that “Montenegro is going to close all the chapters by the end of 2026, that we are going to be ready, that we are now working on strengthening our own administration, strengthening our own institutions, preparing to be the next European member state.”

“And that means that we are going to be ready to be the 28th member by 2028. And that means that now we are already living the European values, now we are already working together with the member states and together with Cyprus,” she emphasised.

The Minister of European Integration of Montenegro expressed certainty “that not only are the chapters going to be closed, but bilateral relations are going to be even stronger and even more beautiful in the future.”

“I am delightful that in front of the Government of Montenegro, we are going to be not only the frontrunner, but we are going to join the European Union and also to be the bridge between the Western Balkan countries and the European Union as well,” she concluded.