News Feature

Montenegro one step closer to EU membership

24 April 2009

The Balkan state of Montenegro has taken a stop closer to European Union (EU) membership after its application was accepted for official scrutiny.

Authorities in the former Yugoslav state, which broke away from neighbour Serbia three years ago, originally applied for accession to the continental body in December last year.

But representatives at the EU have now agreed to pass its request for membership onto its executive organisation, the European Commission, which will decide whether or not to recommend entry for Montenegro.

If the country were to become a member of the organisation, it would likely provide a major tourism boost to the tiny nation, which the Times recently described as "the new Monaco".

Earlier this month, the Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader told Germany's Bild newspaper that he expected his country to become a member of the EU in early 2011, the Croatian Times reported.

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