Montenegro Marks 20 Years of Independence, EU Commissioner Confirms 2028 Membership Target

Montenegro celebrated the 20th anniversary of its independence referendum (June 3, 2006) on May 21, 2026, with renewed EU integration momentum. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos confirmed that Montenegro — the most advanced Western Balkans accession candidate — could complete its accession negotiations by 2028. An EU ambassadors working group for drafting Montenegro's accession treaty was approved on April 22, 2026, the first such step for any candidate country. Montenegro has 33 of 35 accession chapters provisionally closed and is in treaty-drafting preparation. Commissioner Kos praised Podgorica's reform trajectory and said EU membership remains 'achievable within this decade.' The announcement gave fresh momentum to Western Balkans enlargement discussions at a moment when Ukraine's compressed accession timeline has prompted broader debate about the EU's enlargement architecture.