Summit a big moment for Montenegro's EU ambitions

Taoiseach Micheál Martin this week attended the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Montenegro. The theme of this gathering was "shared prosperity and stability".

In the picturesque coastal setting of Tivat, the Taoiseach joined EU leaders and those of the six countries of the western Balkans. High on agenda were discussions on how to integrate the countries from this region into the EU.

Mícheál Lehane reports on Montenegro's European Union ambitions.

Our arrival in the Montenegrin coastal city of Tivat was akin to a scene from a Bond movie.

The plane dipped down to the modest airport located between the scenic mountains and the sea as politicians, officials and the media came to the town for the EU-Western Balkans summit.

Progress through the tiny terminal building was swift, but that is where the speed ended, for the non-political class at least.

Tivat was a place on high alert, and strict security measures had seen cars effectively banned from its streets and approach roads.

There were tales of motorists running out of fuel as the route to the summit remained shut for hours on end.

Police stood at every corner and insisted that documentation was required to get close to the summit.

All this, while blocking access to the place where such documents could be collected.

Yes, it was at times quite Kafkaesque.

At its core was the underlying feeling that this is a big moment for Montenegro's EU ambitions, and nothing was going to mess it up.

Fundamentally though this is a friendly and welcoming place.

In keeping with the Bond theme, the media and other visitors were transported by boat to the city centre as military helicopters hovered overhead amid the splendid sunshine.

The boat's co-skipper Marco hoped the unorthodox taxi arrangements did not create a bad first impression, as the vessel charted a course along a seafront replete with both coastal and lake-like qualities.

He spoke of the enthusiasm young people like himself feel at the prospect of Montenegro becoming part of the European Union relatively soon.

It will create more travel, economic, and education opportunities as well as turbo charging cultural changes, he believes.

Montenegro is well ahead of other countries hoping to join the EU, including Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine.

There are 35 parts of the accession jigsaw, covering everything from justice, freedom and security to food safety.

Montenegro has completed the initial screening process across all these themes which are called chapters, and 13 sections are now finalised.

As the Taoiseach made his way into the summit yesterday morning, he promised Montenegro that Ireland would help "break the back" of their remaining homework during its EU presidency term which begins next month.

Micheál Martin believes that every country deserves to get the opportunity which Ireland was granted in the 1970s.

He feels that Montenegro’s accession would send a strong signal to other countries in the region that the hurdles to EU membership can be successfully overcome.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted too that the ambitions of other countries could be accelerated saying that joining the EU should be based on merit, but that does not mean it has to be a very slow journey.

What might that mean in practical terms?

President of the European Council António Costa suggested that the requirement for unanimity among member states at each stage of the accession process could be relaxed.

That would mean that agreement would only be needed when the pre-membership chapters are being closed, thus drastically reducing the 40 voting occasions that mark entry into the EU at present.

That is a technical, bureaucratic piece of work though, however, those on the ground in Tivat just hope they will soon be part of the EU.

People like Silvana Kubicek who spoke to us about her hopes for a better economy that would benefit her two children.

Quietly, standing outside the greengrocers where she works, Silvana referenced a minority who wish to "disturb the peace".

Accession to the EU would act as a safeguard against such threats, she believes.

If there are any reservations about the EU here, they centre on fears over the possibility of major illegal immigration into a country with a population of around 630,000, but no one was willing to say it publicly.

Sitting outside a cafe just 1km from Tivat city centre, Vasilije summed up the optimism of the younger generation about becoming an EU member state.

"It can help us move throughout the European Union for work because it's going to open many doors, which we didn't have, it's going to be more accessible for us."

This is the hope in Montenegro, a hope that the Taoiseach has pledged to help make a reality.