Montenegro PM hopes Western Balkans EU entry matches Portugal's success

At the EU‑Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the Western Balkan states are maturing their reforms and democratic consolidation and expressed the hope that their accession to the European Union will be as successful as Portugal’s 40‑year journey. He urged the candidate countries to deepen alignment with the EU on economic, social, political and geopolitical levels and highlighted the importance of connectivity between internal policies and European standards.

Portugal’s Prime Minister also reaffirmed support for a gradual integration of the Western Balkans and called for an associated membership status for Ukraine, stressing that such mechanisms strengthen the EU’s role as a global actor.