26/01/2026 (Agence Europe) – Podgorica’s momentum continues. On Monday 26 January, Montenegro closed Chapter 32 of its accession negotiations with the European Union, on financial control, at the 25th Intergovernmental Conference held in Brussels. This step brings to thirteen the total number of chapters closed by the country out of a total of 33 (see EUROPE 13774/30) – or “around 30%” of the process, as the Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, pointed out. Montenegro should be “a source of inspiration for all the candidate countries”, stressed the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. “Political will and determination are the keys to progress”, she said. Milojko Spajić said he was determined to “finalise” the entire process “by the end of the year”. An ambitious but achievable goal, according to Marta Kos, who raised the possibility of one or two new countries joining the EU before the end of the decade. (IS)