On July 9, 2026, the Council for Inclusive Governance (CIG) convened a regional roundtable in Podgorica, Montenegro. The meeting brought together political party representatives, government officials, diplomats, civil society representatives, and regional experts from Montenegro, its neighboring countries, EU member states and the UK to assess Montenegro’s prospects for completing EU accession negotiations and to identify the domestic and external steps needed during the final stage of the process. Participants took part in their personal capacities. The roundtable was organized as part of a CIG regional project supported by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).

The discussion was structured around three dimensions: the domestic political responsibility required to preserve reform momentum; the role of the EU, its Member States, neighboring countries, and other partners; and a practical roadmap for the upcoming period. Particular attention was devoted to rule-of-law reforms, political consensus, bilateral disputes, strategic communication, foreign interference, economic adjustment, and the regional implications of Montenegro’s potential accession.

This report summarizes the principal themes, arguments, and recommendations that emerged during the discussion. The roundtable was conducted under the Chatham House Rule. The report below was prepared by Mirjana Djordjevic, CIG Associate, and Igor Novakovic, CIG Senior Adviser.