Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic described the European Commission’s recent non-paper as a serious and well-argued warning regarding shortcomings in rule of law reforms, particularly in Chapters 23 and 24. He urged the Government to change its current practices and apply true European standards, emphasising that faster reform means faster EU accession. Milatovic called for greater responsibility from all decision-makers during this crucial phase of Montenegro’s EU integration.
During the official visit of Estonian President Alar Karis—his country’s first visit at this level since 2008—Milatovic highlighted the strong bilateral ties based on shared democratic values and support for EU and NATO principles. He thanked Estonia for its consistent support of EU enlargement and proposed strengthening economic cooperation, including a business forum and tourism development, supported by the Tallinn-Tivat flight connection.
President Karis reaffirmed Estonia’s support but stressed that progress toward EU membership depends on Montenegro’s own efforts. Citing Estonia’s decade-long path to accession, he underlined the importance of merit-based advancement and noted that resolving visa regime issues remains a challenge for Montenegro as a non-EU country.
