CoR–Montenegro Joint Consultative Committee meets in Žabljak to discuss local dimension of accession and EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans
Montenegro’s EU future depends on tangible progress on rule of law and genuine decentralisation, with local authorities fully involved in accession negotiations said today Nikola Dobroslavić (HR/EPP), Member of the Regional Assembly of Dubrovnik-Neretva county and Co-Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) Montenegro.
Dobroslavić recalled that the CoR has consistently backed the enlargement process, while insisting that it remains firmly merit-based and grounded in today’s geopolitical realities. “The CoR continues to support the EU enlargement process – one that must take into account today’s geopolitical realities, yet remain firmly merit-based. We call for the active involvement of local authorities, and are especially committed to finding concrete ways to include Montenegro’s municipalities in the country’s EU accession negotiations. As explicitly confirmed in the 2025 European Commission Enlargement Package, Montenegro stands as a frontrunner among the EU candidate countries, yet a great deal of work still lies ahead.
The CoR therefore calls on Montenegro’s central authorities to redouble their efforts to strengthen the rule of law, particularly in the areas of the judiciary and home affairs, ensuring key and permanent appointments of judges, prosecutors and police officials. We also urge further steps towards sustainable decentralisation, returning to local authorities the competences that naturally belong to them, starting with spatial planning, and guaranteeing both in law and in practice that they enjoy stable and sufficient financial resources, independent of central-level decisions.”
Looking ahead to the opportunities opened by the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and future cohesion policy support, Dobroslavić stressed that reforms must translate into concrete benefits for citizens on the ground. The debates in Žabljak focused in particular on the local dimension of Montenegro’s accession process and on how municipalities can prepare to make full use of EU funding.
“Adopting EU standards of democracy, rule of law, reducing corruption and creating a fairer society remain the key goals for Montenegro, and EU pre-accession funding is being targeted towards achieving these aims. From the perspective of my own region, EU funds have been crucial to modernising transport infrastructure, financing the construction of schools, hospitals and services that improve the quality of life of our citizens. These funds will be available to Montenegro after it joins the EU, meaning that steps towards aligning with EU standards should be accelerated. It is particularly important to build further capacity within local authorities, so that the absorption rates of future funding will be high.”
The meeting in Žabljak brought together representatives of the European Committee of the Regions, Montenegro’s central and local authorities, the European Commission and experts to discuss how Montenegro can advance on key accession priorities while ensuring that municipalities are fully equipped to design and implement EU-funded projects.
Background
The Joint Consultative Committee CoR–Montenegro is the official platform linking the European Committee of the Regions – the EU’s assembly of local and regional representatives – with Montenegro’s local and regional authorities. It provides a structured framework for political dialogue and technical cooperation in support of Montenegro’s EU accession process.