The future of the EU

Montenegro: “Hardly acceptable” with a probationary period as an EU country

EU membership with a probationary period without voting rights is “hardly acceptable” for Montenegro. This is what Deputy Prime Minister Filip Ivanovic told the news portal Analitika after Tuesday’s announcement that the country is in line to join the union.

– We expect nothing less than full membership, he told the site.

EU Commissioner Marta Kos said in connection with the Union’s enlargement report on Tuesday that new member states could be given a probationary period during which they could be excluded if they violate EU standards.

Montenegro aims to conclude negotiations with the EU next year and become the EU’s 28th member state in 2028, writes Reuters. 

“Realistic” that more countries will soon join the EU

An enlargement of the EU as soon as 2030 is a “realistic possibility”. This is what EU Commissioner Marta Kos says according to Reuters.

On Tuesday, the European Parliament released its annual enlargement report. Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine have all made significant progress on the road to EU membership, according to the report. Of the countries, Montenegro is considered to be best placed for membership.

Kos emphasizes that Russia's war must not cause Ukraine to slip back in terms of measures against corruption.

Serbia and Georgia are the two candidate countries that seem to be furthest from membership.

- The Commission considers Georgia to be a candidate country in name only, she says.