Prime Minister Spajić hosts European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić met with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, during her official visit to Montenegro.

Montenegro has set an ambitious agenda for fulfilling the negotiation chapters in collaboration with the European Commission, which requires the full focus of society as a whole. It is possible to realize the dream of becoming a part of the EU by the end of 2028.

To this end, the Government will present the "Barometer 26" platform, aimed at uniting society around what the vast majority of citizens expect – for Montenegro to become the next EU member in the shortest possible time.

We have achieved a lot, but we still have much work to do. The next two years are crucial for our European perspective. We need the full support of society, all parties, and the civil sector to achieve our ambitious goals. To ensure broad support, we will present a platform that will accelerate the pace of negotiations and ensure that we close 26 chapters by the end of 2026, so we can become the 28th member by the end of 2028. This new European platform will be a government document to help us reach our high objectives, stated the Prime Minister.

During the meeting, the discussion also included the census, which serves as a clear example of achieving broad societal consensus as the best path to resolving pressing issues.

Montenegro has made significant progress on the road to EU accession, and we are very happy that you have maintained the ambition since our first meeting. You have met previous goals, and now they are even higher, and we are glad that you want to set them clearly. You have every reason to be proud of what you have achieved, and now we can close chapter by chapter. If you maintain your focus, you have the chance to close all chapters as planned, and for that, the support of all parties is needed. Let's make your goals a reality and work together towards them, emphasised President von der Leyen at the press conference, responding to a question about whether it is realistic for Montenegro to become part of the EU by the end of 2028.

The goal is ambitious but achievable. This is a merit-based process that requires fulfilling conditions, and I believe you can do it. We are with you. I am impressed and pleased with how Montenegro is progressing, and I am confident that you will achieve your ambitious goals, she added.

When asked how identity issues will affect Montenegro's European path and the tone of the European Commission's report for Montenegro, which will be presented next week, President von der Leyen replied, "There is a lot of work ahead for both us and you, so the main focus must be on that. The tone of the European Commission's report for Montenegro is very positive compared to last year."

The Prime Minister stated that all polarizing issues should be addressed in a European manner.

Last year, Montenegro was in a difficult position due to the postponed census, which has always been a polarizing topic for the past 25 years. That’s why we believe that what happened recently, when all political parties in Montenegro signed reports on the census, was a historic event. The census is an example that we have matured as a society, and if we truly want to become an EU member, we must face polarizing issues in a European way. We must be inclusive and consult all political actors in the country, and all decisions must be made inclusively and comprehensively, emphasised the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Spajić thanked President von der Leyen for the support in building infrastructure, stating that it is the right way for citizens to see and feel the direct benefits of EU membership.

In this context, funds from the Growth Plan will be particularly important, which will be used to improve educational and healthcare facilities—bringing direct and multiple benefits to society.

The meeting at Villa Gorica was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Aleksa Bečić and Ervin Ibrahimović, as well as Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević.