Montenegro's EU Negotiations Face Delays

Montenegro's negotiations to join the European Union (EU) are facing delays due to a lack of consent from several member states. While Montenegro has closed 18 out of 33 negotiating chapters, the process has slowed down due to technicalities and internal consultations required in member states. An EU official stated that many chapters are very technical and require extensive internal consultations, leading to a desire for progress but a lack of time to finalize everything. Montenegro aims to close all chapters by the end of the year, but the most optimistic scenario for the next Intergovernmental Conference is mid-October. Some member states, including Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, have requested a pause in the processes related to Montenegro's further integration, citing the need for additional analysis and consistent application of defined standards.