The Croatian prime minister says resolving outstanding border issues is a condition for completing Montenegro’s European Union accession negotiations, citing the principles established by the Badinter Commission.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has warned Montenegro that it will not be able to conclude its European Union (EU) accession negotiations without reaching an agreement with Croatia on their shared border.
Plenković made the remarks during a session of the Croatian Parliament, responding to a question from HDZ lawmaker Andro Krstulović Opara about unresolved disputes between the two neighboring countries.
Krstulović Opara raised concerns about statements by Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović regarding the memorial plaque at the former Morinj detention camp and the border agreement, arguing that the positions expressed were not helping bring the disputes closer to a resolution.
Plenković said Croatia had already submitted a proposed agreement on the land border to Montenegro. He added that the principles established by the Badinter Arbitration Commission for determining borders should be acceptable to Podgorica.
“If that does not suit Montenegro, then it is sending a message that it cannot accept the principle of the Badinter Commission and does not believe in the principle that the republic-level borders are also the borders between the states that emerged after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia,” Plenković said.
He warned that such a position would create a serious obstacle to Montenegro’s European path.
Morinj memorial and other unresolved issues
Croatia has previously insisted that all outstanding issues with Montenegro must be resolved before it supports the country’s EU membership.
On October 20, Montenegro decided to rename the swimming pool in Kotor that had been named after Zoran Gopčević, a former guard at the Morinj detention camp. The decision was followed by approval for the installation of a memorial plaque at the site of the former camp.
The Morinj issue remains one of the sensitive points in relations between the two countries, alongside the unresolved border question.
