Montenegro's EU accession hinges on political consensus as media faces crackdown

The European Parliament rapporteur for Montenegro, Marijana Šarec, warned that constitutional amendments required for EU membership can only proceed if the ruling parties and opposition reach a political consensus. Experts noted that the EU is testing Montenegro’s ability to function according to accession standards, especially as the country enters a pre‑election period that could narrow space for compromise.

At the same time, Montenegro’s Media Self‑Regulation Council condemned a pattern of pressure on journalists. The director of the national security service filed criminal complaints against two investigative reporters and a court ordered the country’s oldest independent electronic media outlet to pay compensation to a military officer for a three‑year‑old article. The council emphasized that such actions violate media law protections for source confidentiality and signal an institutional crackdown on press freedom.