Croatia pumps the brakes on Montenegro’s EU membership bid

Brussels — Croatia, the EU’s newest member, is cautioning Montenegro against rushing its path to EU membership. With EU leaders set to debate enlargement at Thursday’s summit, Zagreb stands alongside other nations raising concerns about Montenegro’s accession bid. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, speaking at a European People’s Party pre-summit meeting, praised Croatia’s “extreme constructiveness” yet highlighted unsettled issues in the ongoing negotiations.

Specifically, the Prime Minister cited unresolved disputes in Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 31 (Foreign, Security and Defence Policy), some of which have lingered for two years without resolution. Plenković urged Montenegro to advance, stating that Croatia will advocate for progress should the EU’s leadership deem it necessary to conclude the negotiations.

These concerns are encapsulated in an orientation paper provided to POLITICO, wherein Croatia pledges support for Montenegro’s EU membership aspirations while detailing several disputes that must be resolved. Among the outstanding issues, Croatia seeks compensation for Croatians detained at the Morinj camp during the 1991-92 military aggression against Croatia, and calls for the preservation of a memorial plaque at the former detention facility.

The Prime Minister also demands the renaming of a municipal swimming pool in Kotor, named after Zoran Gopčević, a former water polo player who served as a guard at Morinj during the conflict. Additionally, Croatia insists on the prosecution of war crimes committed during the War of Independence and further discussions on delimiting their border.

Despite these disputes, Croatia has agreed to Montenegro’s progress in accession negotiations, having provisionally concluded 21 of the 33 negotiating chapters, placing it at the forefront of the EU’s enlargement process.