Plenković: Croatia is treating Montenegro differently from how North Macedonia was blocked

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has said his country is taking a constructive approach to Montenegro’s path toward European Union membership, in contrast to the way two member states have treated North Macedonia.

During a debate on EU enlargement, Plenković presented the leaders of member states with eight demands Croatia has made of Podgorica. He explained that Zagreb’s approach is transparent and constructive, unlike the obstruction North Macedonia has faced for years from some EU countries.

Croatia’s demands of Montenegro cover eight issues related to European values on which no progress has been made for a long time. Six fall under Chapter 23, which deals with the judiciary and fundamental rights, while the other two fall under Chapter 31, which covers foreign, security and defence policy.

Plenković cited the example of North Macedonia, which in 2000 was more advanced than Croatia in institutional terms but has still not opened negotiations with the EU. He stressed that two member states had cost it 21 years of institutional alignment with the union, leaving the country waiting from 2005 to 2026.

The Croatian prime minister added that Croatia has not followed this model and, despite the difficult legacy of the past, has approached Montenegro with the aim of offering assistance and cooperation, highlighting the requirements Podgorica must meet as a future EU member and the European values it must embrace.