Croatia threatens to block Montenegro's EU bid over disputed military assets

As Montenegro approaches the final stage of its EU accession negotiations, Croatia has signaled a possible veto by demanding the return of former Yugoslav military assets. During a recent trip to Montenegro, foreign minister Gordan Grlić Radman criticised the speed of chapter closures and submitted a list of claims, notably the training ship Jadran and other naval equipment. He voiced these points at a commemorative event in Morinj alongside Montenegrin counterpart Ervin Ibrahimović.

Ibrahimović responded that Croatia's demands had not been officially presented and should be excluded from the accession process, noting many bilateral issues remain unresolved. A bilateral commission meeting, attended also by defence minister Dragan Krapović, is scheduled for Friday to discuss the status of military facilities. Both countries are NATO members, and Montenegro aims to conclude talks by year-end and join the EU in 2028.