By Association Master

The project “EU Dossier: Montenegro – Chapters Under the Spotlight” is designed with the aim of providing a comprehensive, analytically grounded, and in-depth overview of the progress of Montenegro’s accession negotiations with the European Union, while simultaneously placing this process within the broader context of the Western Balkans region. Through a series of interviews with distinguished and relevant interlocutors, the project seeks to offer a nuanced insight into key achievements, as well as the challenges that continue to shape the dynamics of European integration.

The project brings together representatives of state institutions, international organizations, the non-governmental sector, as well as prominent members of the academic community. Such an approach enables the negotiation process to be examined from multiple perspectives, contributing to a balanced and multi-layered understanding of the complex reform efforts and institutional transformations it entails.

Through a carefully structured format, the project is divided into five thematically connected episodes addressing key negotiation chapters. The first episode provides an overview of the progress of Western Balkan countries in the European integration process and positions Montenegro within contemporary regional integration dynamics. The second episode focuses on Chapter 23, while the third is dedicated to Chapter 24—areas that form the core of the rule of law, including the judiciary, fundamental rights, as well as issues of justice, freedom, and security. The fourth episode addresses Chapter 27, with particular emphasis on environmental protection and climate change, as one of the most demanding areas of the EU acquis. Finally, the fifth episode is devoted to Chapter 31, which relates to foreign, security, and defence policy, with a focus on Montenegro’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Special emphasis is placed on involving a broad range of relevant interlocutors, including representatives of European Union delegations and other international partners, in order to ensure additional credibility and comprehensiveness of the content. In this way, the project not only contributes to a better understanding of the negotiation process, but also encourages the development of an informed, evidence-based, and constructive public debate on the European perspective of Montenegro and the region as a whole.

This content was produced with the support of Innovation. Media. Minds. – EU Support to Public Service Journalism in the Western Balkans, implemented by the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the European Commission, in cooperation with DW Akademie. The documentary is the sole responsibility of the Association Master and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.