Montenegro

Montenegro’s EU Bid Runs Into a Language Test as Enlargement Momentum Builds

Montenegro’s push to become the European Union’s next member is gaining political backing in Brussels and key capitals, but a less visible obstacle is complicating the path: language. As accession talks advance, officials and analysts say the country’s ability to align laws, institutions and public administration with EU standards depends not only on reforms, but on the precision of translation and legal drafting. The issue underscores a broader challenge facing the bloc’s enlargement agenda. Even where political will exists, accession can stall on technical capacity, administrative readiness and the painstaking work of making EU rules fully operable in a candidate country’s own language.