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Croatia has warned that a series of unresolved disputes with neighbouring Montenegro, including wartime abuses, property claims and contested borders, could stand in the way of the country's ambition to join the European Union by 2028.
In a document sent to other EU governments on Monday and seen by Euronews, Zagreb set out eight demands it wants Montenegro to address before completing its accession to the bloc.
Montenegro is widely regarded as the frontrunner among countries seeking EU membership, with hopes of becoming the bloc's 28th member by 2028. But its long-running disputes with Croatia, many dating back to the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, threaten to derail that timetable.
“Croatia sincerely wishes to turn the page on this painful chapter of shared history and build a forward-looking relationship with Montenegro. Yet mutual trust and genuine, lasting reconciliation cannot be built without resolving these issues,” the document reads.
Montenegro made further progress towards EU membership on Monday, completing negotiations in three more policy areas – statistics, economic policy and employment – bringing the total to 21 out of 33.
However, Croatia is blocking progress in four other areas, covering transport, foreign relations, fundamental rights and home affairs. Because every existing EU member has a say over the accession process, Zagreb has considerable leverage over its neighbour's membership bid.
The document expands on grievances previously outlined by Croatia's Foreign Ministry in July, many rooted in the wars that accompanied Yugoslavia's collapse.
Among the most sensitive is Zagreb's demand for compensation for around 300 Croatian nationals detained and mistreated at the Morinj prison camp in Montenegro between October 1991 and August 1992. Croatian civilians and prisoners of war were forcibly transferred to the camp during the conflict.
Croatia also wants a memorial plaque at the former camp to remain permanently visible. A large metal frame was installed around it following protests by Montenegrin nationalist groups.
Another demand concerns the fate of 14 people still missing from Croatia's war of independence. Zagreb wants Montenegro to help locate their remains, describing the issue as a “major humanitarian issue that has yet to be resolved.”
A further point concerns war crimes: Croatia wants command responsibility for the crimes against civilians committed at Morinj to be considered in the cases of already convicted war criminals.
Croatia also expects Montenegro to resolve long-standing property disputes dating back to the early 1990s, involving Croatian families unlawfully deprived of their property without adequate compensation.
The paper points out that a 2021 law enabled the restitution of land in a region predominantly inhabited by the Albanian minority, “raising concerns about unequal treatment in comparable cases.”
Zagreb is also calling for the return of the Jadran, a sail training ship which has been under Montenegrin control since Yugoslavia dissolved in 1991.
Finally, Croatia wants the territorial disputes with its neighbour settled, over both the land and maritime border, in line with the Arbitration Commission of the Conference on Yugoslavia.
Croatia itself has an unresolved border dispute with Slovenia, although this did not prevent it from joining the EU in 2013.
“Croatia has consistently encouraged Montenegro to resolve outstanding bilateral issues while actively supporting its EU accession,” the paper continues. “Despite Croatia’s sustained efforts and constructive approach, none of the outstanding issues has yet been resolved.”