Montenegro Decides To Apply for EU Membership

“The Montenegrin government at its session today adopted a decision to file a request for Montenegro’s membership of the European Union. The membership request is filed in line with the successful implementation of the Provisional agreement, the good communication with the EU member states, and the progress made on the way to European integration in the past period,” the government said on its website late on Thursday.

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said at the beginning of the month that the country is ready to apply for EU candidate status by the end of the year, international news agencies reported back then.

The tiny Adriatic state postponed applying for EU candidate status from June until December upon request from the EU. The bloc's Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, told Montenegrin daily Vijesti last month it was better if Montenegro considered delaying its application again as the European Commission would be preoccupied with the global crisis and the Lisbon Treaty ratification at its December session.

Montenegro's European prospects were boosted in October 2007 when it signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU, the first formal step opening the way for the nation to apply for membership of the bloc.

Montenegro decided in a referendum held in May 2006 to restore its independence and break off from Serbia. The two states were tied in a loose union that replaced rump Yugoslavia in 2001.