The Berlin Process is an initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation among the Western Balkan countries, and Montenegro’s Chairmanship in 2026 represents an opportunity to deliver new, concrete results that will improve the lives of citizens across the region, was the key message from the meeting between representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister of Montenegro and German diplomats from diplomatic missions in the six Western Balkan countries, as well as the German Federal Foreign Office.
The meeting, held on 25 February 2026 in Podgorica, focused on Montenegro’s Chairmanship of the Berlin Process and the negotiations on accession to the European Union. The participants agreed that the Berlin Process should primarily deliver new, tangible improvements for citizens of the Western Balkans countries.
In this context, the Montenegrin side presented four priorities of its Chairmanship: Strong and inclusive economic growth: based on deeper regional market integration and genuine convergence with the European Union; Competitiveness: through support for innovation, digital transformation, and human capital development; Security and resilience: through cooperation in the areas of internal and external security, strengthening institutional capacities, border management, and combating organized crime and illicit financial flows; and Green and sustainable transition: through alignment of policies with the European Green Deal, implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, and investment in renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and climate resilience.
The meeting also addressed the dynamics of the agenda under which the participating countries of the Berlin Process will, through a series of high-level meetings and initiatives across various sectors, provide further impetus to regional cooperation and development in the context of future membership in the European Union.