Montenegro Offers Reform Blueprint to Ukraine
As Montenegro nears EU accession, its officials propose sharing specific administrative practices to help Ukraine navigate the complex legislative hurdles required for its own membership bid.
Montenegro, positioned to become the European Union’s newest member state, is offering its recent experiences in rule-of-law reforms to assist Ukraine. According to a report by the Kyiv Independent, Montenegro’s European Affairs Minister Maida Gorcevic emphasized that the integration process is demanding but manageable with the right structural support. As Montenegro prepares to close its final negotiating chapters by the end of 2026, it seeks to leverage its recent successes to aid Ukraine, which faces significant legislative bottlenecks in its own accession track.
Gorcevic described the reform process as difficult and often unpopular, noting that amending domestic laws to align with EU standards requires a level of political consensus that is hard to achieve. She highlighted that while the changes are technically driven by Brussels, the ultimate goal is to serve domestic citizens. This perspective aligns with recent statements by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, who similarly stressed the importance of prioritizing citizen benefits over bureaucratic compliance during his visit to Kyiv.
Administrative Strategies for Legislative Efficiency
A central element of Montenegro’s proposed support involves its specialized approach to coordinating with European Commission officials. The country has established a dedicated rule-of-law team that meets twice weekly with EU technical experts to review requirements in granular detail. This method, which involves working through bills line by line, has proven effective in ensuring that legislative texts meet strict EU standards without unnecessary delays.
Montenegrin diplomats indicated that this rigorous schedule, which includes multi-hour sessions with experts from various Commission departments, is being positioned as a best practice for other candidate countries. By treating EU legislation with a distinct procedural status from other domestic laws, Montenegro has navigated the challenge of passing rules without the usual opportunity for extensive parliamentary amendments. This structured dialogue aims to reduce friction between national parliaments and EU institutions.
Bilateral Cooperation and Shared Expertise
Beyond informal exchanges, Montenegro has formalized its intent to assist Ukraine through a memorandum of cooperation signed in March. The agreement outlines the provision of expert support by public administration officials to help Ukraine advance in areas such as judicial reform, anti-corruption efforts, and economic criteria. It also envisions regular meetings between negotiation teams and the joint development of studies to streamline the integration process.
Gorcevic noted that this information flow is intended to be reciprocal, with Montenegro acknowledging that it continues to learn from other candidate nations like Moldova and Albania. With 18 of 33 negotiation chapters already closed, Montenegro is in a strong position to offer practical insights. Meanwhile, Ukraine has opened two of six broader clusters and expects to open all 33 chapters by late 2026, a timeline that depends heavily on overcoming current political and legislative obstacles.
Forward Look on Integration Timelines
The next phase of this cooperation will likely focus on implementing the technical support outlined in the bilateral agreements. Observers will watch how Ukraine’s parliament responds to the proposed structural changes and whether the shared expertise helps unlock stalled reform packages. As Montenegro moves toward signing its accession treaty, the success of this knowledge transfer could serve as a critical benchmark for other countries seeking to accelerate their own paths to EU membership.
