Montenegro has taken concrete steps to address a series of disputes with neighbouring Croatia that threaten to delay its ambition of becoming the EU's 28th member by 2028. The moves come after Zagreb circulated an eight-point list of grievances to other EU capitals, most of which stem from the Balkan wars of the 1990s.
At last week's European Council meeting, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said his country had been "extremely constructive" in accession talks but noted that "in the last two years, there has been no progress whatsoever" on the issues. He added that these matters had been signalled to Montenegrin officials for years.
Legislative gestures
Just last week, Montenegro's parliament passed a law protecting historical sites, a direct response to Croatia's demand that a memorial plaque at the Morinj detention camp—where Croatian civilians were held by the Yugoslav People's Army—remain untouched. Another grievance concerned a municipal swimming pool in Kotor named after Zoran Gopčević, a water polo player allegedly involved in the camp's operations. Montenegro has now enacted a second law prohibiting sports facilities from being named after individuals who died less than 40 years ago, a retroactive measure that would require Gopčević's name to be removed. He died in 2000.
These legislative gestures are seen as a positive start by Zagreb, but Croatian officials insist that full implementation is necessary before the disputes can be considered resolved. They want to avoid any outstanding issues when Montenegro's accession treaty comes up for ratification.
Missing persons and property
More contentious is Croatia's request that Montenegro help locate the remains of 14 Croatian nationals who disappeared during the wars that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia. These individuals did not die on Montenegrin territory, and the relevant archive is held in Belgrade, Serbia. Both Montenegro and Croatia have asked Serbia for access, but Zagreb wants information that can be obtained without it, given conflicting interpretations of where the victims were taken.
Croatia is also seeking compensation for families unlawfully deprived of their property. The two countries have agreed on the amount, but negotiations continue over the wording of the agreement.
Border and domestic pressure
Another unresolved issue is the land border between the two countries, one of several territorial disputes inherited from the Yugoslav breakup. Croatia wants Montenegro to abandon the possibility of arbitration over the land border, where only around 200 metres remain disputed, and focus instead on resolving the maritime boundary. The border dispute is not expected to block enlargement; Croatia itself joined the EU in 2013 despite an open dispute with Slovenia.
According to one EU diplomat, Croatia has kept bilateral disputes on a separate track, avoiding blocking progress at the technical level and linking issues to specific negotiating chapters. Montenegro has worked discreetly towards a solution through bilateral dialogue, the diplomat said, though there could have been stronger condemnation across the political spectrum of parliament speaker Andrija Mandić's condolences to the son of war criminal Ratko Mladić.
Croatia also faces domestic pressure to show it is defending national interests over the unresolved legacy of the Yugoslav wars, or risk criticism from opposition parties. That sensitivity was evident at the summit when Croatia insisted on removing a reference to plans to provisionally close all of Montenegro's negotiating chapters by the end of this year.
Germany's push
Germany has stepped into the dispute, pressing Croatia to reach a swift settlement rather than jeopardise Montenegro's accession. Berlin fears that allowing bilateral grievances to hold up the process could have wider repercussions for other EU hopefuls. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after the summit: "Montenegro has fulfilled all the requirements. There are meetings to draw up the final treaty. There are still a few smaller bilateral issues, which have also been presented by Mr Plenković, but all of them can be solved."
As Montenegro navigates these final hurdles, the outcome will be closely watched in the Western Balkans, where EU enlargement has gained new momentum. The bloc's ability to manage bilateral disputes will be a test of its credibility as an honest broker. For now, Podgorica's recent legislative moves offer a glimmer of progress, but the road to 2028 remains fraught with historical sensitivities.
