This follows from the answers they submitted to "Vijesti" yesterday. Vanda Babic Galic, special advisor to the Croatian Foreign Minister Gordana Grlic Radmana, and the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
Bilateral talks (consultations) between the two ministries on resolving outstanding issues began in late January 2025, after Zagreb blocked Podgorica from closing Chapter 31 (foreign, security and defence policy) in negotiations with the EU at the end of 2024. Two meetings have been held so far – both in Zagreb. Croatian officials said in February this year that there was progress “in millimeters” in negotiations on resolving outstanding issues with Montenegro.
In December last year, the Croatian government formed a Commission to resolve the issue of the return of the training ship 'Jadran' and other issues of military property succession with Montenegro, while the Montenegrin executive branch yesterday decided to form a Commission for regulating relations with Croatia regarding the status of the training ship "Jadran" as a cultural, historical and military symbol of the state of Montenegro, which will be headed by the Minister of Defense. Dragan Krapovic (Democrats).
MVP: It's being talked about at the highest level too
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told "Vijesti" yesterday that Montenegro is in regular communication with Croatia regarding all open issues, as well as regarding the further improvement of overall bilateral relations, recalling that two rounds of bilateral consultations were held between the two ministries last year.
"... In order to determine the dynamics of resolving open issues, deadlines and methods of resolving them, all with the aim of achieving concrete results, in which the relevant ministries and competent specialized commissions have a special role," it added.
They stated that the public was informed in a timely manner about all activities in this area, including the Government's decisions on the formation of the Commission for carrying out the tasks of demarcation and determination of the state border and for preparation for the conclusion of international treaties on the state border, as well as the Commission for regulating relations with Croatia regarding the status of the training ship "Jadran" as a cultural, historical and military symbol of the state of Montenegro, "which will further exchange views and discuss proposals for a permanent resolution of these issues with neighboring Croatia."
"Vijesti" announced yesterday that the Commission, in addition to Krapović, will consist of the State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Vice President of the Commission), and members - two representatives of the Ministry of Defense, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and two experts from relevant fields who will be appointed at the proposal of Krapović.
From the department he manages Ervin Ibrahimovic (Bosniak Party) told the editorial team yesterday that the common goal of the dialogue is to find lasting, sustainable and mutually acceptable solutions, which is why, they claim, they are approaching the process "carefully and responsibly, without hasty decisions."
"Therefore, if necessary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro remains open to the implementation of the next round of political consultations with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, in Podgorica," the response reads.
They pointed out that consultations represent only one of the mechanisms for talks between the two sides, and that, in addition, political dialogue at the highest and high level is very "intensive and substantive", claiming that confirmation of quality political dialogue is Croatia's continued support in closing negotiation chapters and forming an ad hoc working group for drafting the Treaty on the Accession of Montenegro to the EU.
"We are convinced that all open issues can be resolved through dialogue and in the spirit of good neighborly relations, with full respect for international law and established diplomatic practice. In this regard, communication with the Croatian side will continue in a constructive spirit, and the public will be informed in a timely manner about all specific dates and possible results of the meetings," the MFA said.
Babić Galić: Croatia ready to continue talks
On the other hand, Vanda Babić Galić told "Vijesti" yesterday that Croatia, even during the time of the Montenegrin minister (Philip) Ivanovic (now Deputy Prime Minister) submitted a non-paper to Podgorica with an overview of open issues, which the European Commission has also been informed about, stating that these are "serious but solvable issues", the resolution of which requires continuous and substantive dialogue between the two sides.
"Your questions relate to the proposed meeting of two committees on the training ship 'Jadran' and issues of military succession, which was not held because we were informed in an official note that 'certain conditions' for its holding had not been met," Babić Galić noted.
She reiterated that Croatia remains ready to continue talks and expects to agree on a new date for the meeting, saying that at this point it primarily depends on the political will of the Montenegrin side and its readiness to resolve open issues "in a timely, responsible and in the spirit of good neighborly relations."
"However, one thing is unquestionable - Croatia strongly supports Montenegro's membership in the EU, but at the same time expects the closure of open issues so that they do not continue to burden Montenegro's European perspective and the overall relations between the two countries," Babić Galić emphasized.
Puhovski: Force will decide between the two positions
Commenting on the names of the commissions for “Adriatic” in both countries, a retired professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb Zarko Puhovski He told "Vijesti" that, in his opinion, the point is that both commissions were formed to serve internal purposes, that is, to show the public in Croatia and Montenegro that the government is "fighting energetically for our national rights and traditions", adding that he believes that the commissions "certainly will not solve anything".
"... It will only solve that, i.e. it will answer the question of whether Croatia is fully prepared to tell Montenegro - either you will listen to us in this regard or we will put spokes in your wheels on the road to the EU. That is all it is about," he said.
Puhovski said that the question is whether Croatia will resort to the fact that it is "superior in everything" to Montenegro, recalling that, when Croatia was entering the EU, Slovenia did similar things to Zagreb, and that all leading Croatian politicians at the time repeated that they would not do that to others if the conditions for such a situation were created.
The interlocutor said that the statement that "Adriatic" is a symbol of Montenegro is "simply meaningless".
"There is no dispute about that. The only thing Montenegro has on its side is that there was an established practice in this escalating of post-Yugoslav relations, that whoever had something on their territory had an advantage there, that possession was nine-tenths of ownership, as was traditionally said. But inventing that ship as a symbol of Montenegro is pointless. In that regard, Montenegro did not even have its own fleet," said Puhovski, adding that Croatia did not have a fleet either, but that at least Zagreb is not saying that it is a Croatian symbol, but rather that it wants to return that ship that has been registered in that country for decades.
He explained that Croatia has the argument that the "Jadran" has been registered in its ports for decades, and that Montenegro has the argument that it is now in its possession.
"So, between the two opposing positions, force will decide. If they decide to do so, that force will be Croatia. Or the matter will remain undecided, and if it remains undecided - then the ship remains with Montenegro. The question is whether Croatia will go all the way, because I think that if that is the case - Montenegro does not have much of a chance," Puhovski assessed.
Relations between Montenegro and Croatia have been strained for more than two years, culminating in the Montenegrin parliament's adoption of a resolution on the genocide in Jasenovac and the Dachau and Mauthausen concentration camps in the summer of 2024. After that, Zagreb declared the head of parliament non-committal. Andrija Mandić, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić and the ambassador Milan Knežević.
