Zagreb/Montenegro, 02 October 2026, dtt-net.com – Eight bilateral disputes between the two countries was discussed Friday between Croatia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gordan Grlic Radman and Croatian member of Montenegro parliament, Adrijan Vuksanovic, which Zagreb says should be solved in order the candidate country should solve to join the European bloc.
According to a press release by Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) , met today in Zagreb with the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Grlić Radman emphasized Croatia’s “strong support for Croats in Montenegro, their right to preserve their identity and equal position in Montenegrin society, as well as support for Montenegro’s European path.”
Speaking about relations between the two countries, the minister “expressed his expectation of further progress and concrete results in the bilateral dialogue, along with the continuation of open and constructive cooperation between Croatia and Montenegro,” it said.
In July, Croatian government had warned Montenegro that the candidate country will not be allowed to conclude EU membership negotiations without solving eight bilateral disputes, of which one over maritime border.
The government outlined all eight disputes it has with Montenegro, which it said is “now is the time for decisive steps” to be taken by the Montenegrin government to solve them with Zagreb.
“Our expectations are clear: resolution of the issue of compensation for the [wartime] inmates, continuation of work on finding the 14 missing from the Homeland [1991-1995 War, prosecution of war crimes, resolution of property rights issues of Croatian families who were left without property in Montenegro and whose court proceedings are at a standstill, preservation of the memorial plaque at the former Morinj camp and the necessity of changing the name of the swimming pool in Kotor, continuation of discussions on the [Prevlaka Peninsula] border at sea, and the return of the school ship Jadran,” Croatian ministry said.
“There are only a few months left until the end of 2026, and therefore we repeatedly call on the Montenegrin side for constructive dialogue and acceleration of work on open issues,” the ministry concluded.
With another two negotiating chapters closed earlier this month in EU accession negotiations, the frontrunner in accession negotiations, Montenegro, has now closed 18 chapters and needs to close another 15.
Montenegrin government hopes it will close them later this year and the country become full-fledged member of the EU in 2028.
