By Salma El-Sakka
The European Commission said Wednesday that Montenegro is the candidate country closest to EU membership and that accession negotiations could realistically be concluded by the end of 2026. The assessment appears in the Commission's annual enlargement policy report.
Accession timeline
An accession treaty could be signed by June 2027, paving the way for Montenegro, with a population of 630,000, to become the bloc's 28th member state in 2028. Membership requires ratification by all 27 current EU countries.
President expresses confidence
President Jakov Milatovic said earlier this year from his office in Podgorica that he is optimistic Montenegro will meet its ambitious 2028 target. "We can achieve it. I am optimistic about it," he stated.
Other candidates
The EU also considers Albania, Ukraine and Moldova as frontrunners for membership. Western Balkan nations Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo remain at various stages of the accession process.
Albania's progress
The Commission urged Albania to strengthen cross-party cooperation and inclusive dialogue in parliament and with civil society to advance key reforms. It said meeting closing benchmarks across all negotiation chapters is essential for Albania's goal of finishing talks by the end of 2027.
