EU Report Charts Uneven Progress in Montenegro

The forthcoming European Commission report on Montenegro is likely to positively assess progress in the country but will stress the need for a more efficient fight against corruption and the need for guarantees of media freedom, sources in Brussels said.

The report due out on Tuesday will urge the strengthening of the rule of law and fresh measures to spur economic recovery, media in Podgorica reported.

The presentation of the report, first announced for October 14, was postponed twice due to the refugee crises. 

Citing diplomatic sources in Brussels, media reports said the EU will note progress in Montenegro's membership negotiations - but not in some key areas, such as electoral law reforms and the fight against organized crime and high level corruption.

In December, Montenegro is expected to be invited to join NATO and this is expected to be particularly emphasized in the report. 

The European Commission will urge Montenegro to implement a new electoral system in the context of the upcoming general elections, daily Vijesti reported.

A Slovenian member of the European Parliament, Ivo Vajgl, told local media that Montenegro is seen as "the least problematic country" compared to other EU candidates in the Balkan region. 

"The report will bring nothing essentially new, but you can expect that European parliamentarians and the Commission will be quite critical about media policy, freedom of expression and the issue of corruption," he said.

However, a Foreign Ministry official, Snezana Radovic, said this year's report would provide a "realistic view of the situation on the ground", and would record progress in specific areas.  

"We expect guidelines and requirements for...