October the 15th, 2026 – Croatia has multiple conditions for entry into the bloc, but could it go as far as to block the Montenegro EU accession?
Croatia has very clearly warned neighbouring Montenegro that a series of unresolved bilateral issues could slow its planned entry into the European Union by 2028. Among the open topics are war crimes, property restitution and the definition of the border, Index reports.
This week, Zagreb sent a document to the other EU Member States listing eight demands that Montenegro must fulfil before the conclusion of accession negotiations. Montenegro is otherwise widely regarded as the front-runner among the candidate countries and hopes to become the 28th member of the Union by 2028. Nevertheless, long-standing disputes with Croatia, which mostly date from the time of the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, represent an obstacle to those plans.
blockade progress
“Croatia sincerely wishes to close this painful chapter of our shared history and to build a future-oriented relationship with Montenegro. However, mutual trust and genuine and lasting reconciliation cannot be achieved without resolving these issues,” the Croatian document states. On Monday, Montenegro advanced in its negotiations with the EU after closing the chapters on statistics, economic policy and employment. This brought the total number of closed chapters to 21 out of 33.
Croatia, however, is blocking progress in four other areas: transport, external relations, fundamental rights and internal affairs. Every member state has the right of veto over the enlargement process, which gives Zagreb significant influence over Montenegro’s path to membership. The document elaborates in detail the objections that the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs already put forward back in July, which largely stem from the wars of the 1990s.
a list of croatia’s open issues
One of the most sensitive demands concerns compensation for around three hundred Croatian citizens who were detained and abused in the Morinj concentration camp in Montenegro from October 1991 to August 1992. During the conflict, Croatian civilians and prisoners of war were forcibly taken to that camp. Croatia also demands that the memorial plaque at the site of the former camp remain permanently visible. The plaque was enclosed in a metal structure after protests by Montenegrin nationalist groups. Another demand concerns the fate of 14 people who are still listed as missing from the Homeland War.
Zagreb is therefore asking Montenegro for help in locating their remains and describes this as an important humanitarian issue that has not yet been resolved. Croatia also demands that in the cases of already convicted war criminals for crimes against civilians in Morinj, command responsibility be taken into account.
long-standing disputes from the 1990s
Zagreb also expects Montenegro to resolve long-standing property disputes from the early 1990s concerning Croatian families whose property was confiscated without adequate compensation. The document notes that a 2021 law enabled the restitution of land in a region with a predominantly Albanian minority, which “raises concerns about unequal treatment in similar cases.”
Zagreb also seeks the return of the “Jadran” vessel which has been under Montenegrin control since the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991. Finally, Croatia demands the resolution of territorial disputes over the land and maritime border in accordance with the decisions of the Arbitration Commission on Yugoslavia. Croatia itself has an unresolved border dispute with Slovenia, although that did not prevent it from joining the European Union back in 2013.
“Croatia has consistently encouraged Montenegro to resolve the open bilateral issues and at the same time has actively supported its entry into the EU. Despite Croatia’s constant efforts and constructive approach, none of the open issues has yet been resolved,” the document concludes.
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