An audacious bid is unfolding in Brussels and the Western Balkans as Montenegro positions itself for EU membership by 2026. In an exclusive Euronews interview in Brussels, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić laid out a clear timetable: he expects to close all accession chapters by the end of next year and sees a real chance to join during the current European Commission’s mandate that runs through 2029. He stressed that there is no plan B: Nobody is even thinking of alternatives. The full membership of the European Union is what we are gunning for.
Montenegro, the bloc’s smallest candidate with just over 620,000 people, is also the most advanced among the Western Balkans in adopting the reforms Brussels demands. The EU has praised its progress, particularly on the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to accelerate regional development through deeper integration and reform. Yet the process still hinges on tough tests, notably upholding the rule of law and completing appointments to the constitutional court before an accession treaty can be signed.
Spajić stressed that joining would add value to the EU, not detract from it: we will be somebody that makes the EU richer. He argued Montenegro’s proximity—we are surrounded by the European Union—and its recent integration moves position it as a practical bridge to deeper European integration. Montenegro officially joined SEPA in October, and while it has long used the euro as its de facto currency since 2002, the country’s integration into Europe’s payment infrastructure is now complete. He also noted that free mobile roaming between Montenegro and the EU will begin in 2026, illustrating the country’s rapid step-by-step integration into EU single-market infrastructure.
Beyond these concrete steps, the broader geopolitical picture matters. The EU’s willingness to broaden membership hinges on enduring reforms, particularly in the judiciary and institutional capacity. If Montenegro can navigate these benchmarks, Spajić’s framing suggests accession would be a mutual gain for both sides: a newer, more cohesive Western Balkans region anchored in European norms, with Montenegro presenting itself as a valuable, reform-driven partner rather than a burden.
As Europe weighs its own strategic priorities and budgetary realities, Montenegro’s bid stands as a pivotal test case for Western Balkan integration. The coming years will reveal whether Brussels’ thresholds can be met in time for 2026, and whether the bloc is prepared to welcome another neighbor that promises to enrich rather than complicate its future.
