October the 17th, 2026 – According to a Euronews report, Germany is strongly pressuring Croatia over the Montenegro EU entry issue, but Andrej Plenković claims otherwise.
The German Government is allegedly intensifying its pressure on Croatia to resolve the open issues with Montenegro so that there is no standstill in its accession to the European Union, but the PM claims that isn’t what’s occurring. Index reports that Berlin has allegedly actively become involved in resolving the problem and is demanding a constructive approach from Zagreb, which four officials directly familiar with the situation claimed for Euronews.
This week, Croatia sent Podgorica a list of eight disputed points that it wants resolved before the conclusion of accession negotiations. Because of this, Germany is striving to ensure that the enlargement process continues without slowing down, as a blockade of Montenegro, which is considered the most advanced candidate, could jeopardise the entire process.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated on Thursday ahead of the European Council summit in Brussels that there are issues that have been pointed out to Montenegro for years. “In the last two years there has been no progress at all,” Plenković said, adding that Croatia has been “extremely constructive” in the negotiations.
war crimes and historical issues
The disputes mainly relate to the legacy of the wars of the 1990s, which includes property claims and unresolved border issues. These problems endanger Montenegro’s goal of becoming the 28th EU member by 2028. The Croatian side emphasises that the investigation of war crimes and compensation for victims are conditions that Podgorica must fulfil in order to conclude the negotiations. At the same time Zagreb faces accusations that it activated the disputes at the last moment in order to increase pressure on Podgorica. Croatia, for its part, replies that these are long-standing problems and that its demands are of a symbolic nature.
diplomatic engagement and criticism
The European Commission has also become involved in the talks in recent weeks, and several member states are trying to prevent bilateral issues from stopping the process. France wants to avoid problems with enlargement because of its internal political situation, while Luxembourg criticises the practice of using the accession process to resolve mutual disputes.
Although several governments are talking to Croatia, the strongest pressure is coming from Berlin. Germany recently also offered mediation, but that offer has not yet been realised. The government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to act as an impartial mediator out of fear that bilateral disputes could jeopardise the entire enlargement process. Croatia’s position has also met with public criticism, including that of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas. On the margins of the summit she stated that bilateral issues must not block the accession process.
the geopolitical angle
EU officials fear that the mood towards enlargement could change if Montenegro’s entry is not completed soon. Next year elections will be held in several key member states, including France, where polls are led by Marine Le Pen, known for her scepticism towards further expansion of the Union.
Montenegro’s accession is taking place in a context in which Brussels is using the enlargement policy to strengthen ties with neighbouring countries because of tensions with Russia. Since Montenegro is first in line for membership, a standstill due to bilateral issues could also negatively affect the other candidates – Albania, Moldova, and especially Ukraine, whose accession is linked to future peace negotiations with Moscow. Montenegro would at the same time be the first country to enter the bloc according to the new enlargement methodology. This year Podgorica is chairing the Berlin Process, an initiative for regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, and is closely cooperating with the German government. In that context Germany is also advocating new models of enlargement, such as the status of “associated candidate” for Ukraine. Germany therefore considers that, given Podgorica’s efforts and the geopolitical situation, it is crucial to make a breakthrough in Montenegro’s accession so that the enlargement process does not come to a halt.
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