Austria’s Meinl-Reisinger Pushes for Swift EU Accession Talks in Montenegro
PODGORICA, Montenegro – On a diplomatic visit to Montenegro’s capital Thursday, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger reaffirmed Vienna’s strong backing for Montenegro’s EU ambitions, urging the Balkan nation to complete accession negotiations by the end of 2026.
“Montenegro has shown an impressive commitment to reform and now stands as a frontrunner in the enlargement process,” Meinl-Reisinger said at a joint press conference with Montenegrin Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimović. Austria, she added, remains a key economic and political partner.
Montenegro aims to become the 28th EU member state by 2028. Meinl-Reisinger encouraged further progress, particularly in electoral reform, calling on all political actors to unify behind the country’s European path.
Her visit marked the fourth to a Western Balkan country since taking office. In Podgorica, she met with President Jakov Milatović and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić. Later engagements included talks with Montenegro’s judiciary and anti-corruption officials, as well as civil society representatives and Austrian business leaders.
The minister welcomed Montenegro’s upcoming inclusion in SEPA (Single European Payments Area), expected to significantly lower cross-border banking fees, and praised the country’s cooperation on security, organized crime, and rule of law.
Calling EU expansion a “decisive factor for European stability,” she warned against geopolitical vacuums in the region. “It’s in our collective interest to move this process forward—now.”
Not all shared her enthusiasm. Austrian MEP Harald Vilimsky of the Freedom Party called Meinl-Reisinger’s position “reckless,” arguing that loosening accession standards could foster instability.
Montenegro, an EU candidate since 2010, has opened all 33 negotiation chapters but closed only three.
