The key facts

  • The European Council's conclusions on Montenegro were changed at Croatia's initiative — deadlines for the provisional closure of negotiating chapters were removed from the text (HRT report).
  • Plenković: Croatia supports EU enlargement, but candidates must meet the criteria; Podgorica should 'sit down for talks' with Zagreb.
  • Croatia put forward eight demands: six on chapter 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) and two on chapter 31 (foreign policy and security).

Change to the European Council Conclusions

The European Council's conclusions on Montenegro were changed following Croatia's intervention: references to deadlines for the provisional closure of negotiating chapters were removed from the text, Croatian public broadcaster HRT reported on Friday.

What Changed in the Text

According to the earlier draft, an agreement was to be reached on the provisional closure of all negotiating chapters by the end of 2026, provided Montenegro implements the necessary reforms, and work on the accession treaty was to be completed as soon as possible. The revised version of the conclusions welcomes the ongoing work on the draft accession treaty with Montenegro and notes the intention of the Irish presidency of the Council to work towards the provisional closure of the negotiating chapters, provided Podgorica carries out the relevant reforms.

Plenković's Position and Zagreb's Demands

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, after the first day of the European Council meeting in Brussels, said that Croatia remains a supporter of EU enlargement, but stressed that candidate countries must meet the necessary criteria. 'We changed the conclusions on our own initiative, sending a realistic signal to our colleagues in Montenegro that they should sit down for talks with Croatia,' he said. Plenković noted that Zagreb raised unresolved issues with Podgorica concerning chapter 23, which covers the judiciary and fundamental rights, and chapter 31, which concerns foreign policy, security and defence. Croatia presented Montenegro with eight demands: six on chapter 23 and two on chapter 31.