The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted the 2025 reports on Albania and Montenegro at a time of renewed momentum for EU enlargement and increased attention to the credibility of the accession process in the Western Balkans. The reports welcome progress in both countries while stressing that further reforms remain necessary, particularly in the areas of rule of law, judiciary independence, anti-corruption efforts, media freedom, and democratic governance. In Montenegro’s case, discussions increasingly focus on the country’s potential trajectory toward becoming the EU’s next member state, including possible safeguard and monitoring mechanisms that could accompany a future Accession Treaty. The developments also underline the continued importance of meaningful civil society participation in accession-related reforms, public consultation processes, and democratic oversight, particularly as the EU places stronger emphasis on implementation, institutional resilience, and alignment with fundamental values throughout the enlargement process. Read more here.
Source: European Western Balkans