The President of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, Savo Kentera, participated in a seminar on Montenegro’s European path, held on May 5 in Modena at Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, within the framework of the European Union Law programme and in celebration of Europe Day 2026, attended by members of the academic and professional community.
The programme was opened with remarks by the Director of the Department of Law, Giovanna Laura De Fazio, who emphasized the importance of cooperation with the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, noting that this form of partnership contributes to strengthening dialogue between academic institutions and civil society organizations, in the spirit of European values and openness.
The introductory lecture was delivered by Marco Gestri, Full Professor of International and EU Law and Director of the Centre for Documentation and Research on the European Union, who highlighted that Europe Day represents an important moment to reflect on the enlargement process, assessing that Montenegro remains one of the most promising candidates thanks to the continuity of reforms and a clearly defined European orientation.
The geopolitical dimension was further addressed by Massimo Franchi, who spoke about Italy’s role in the Western Balkans, underlining the strategic importance of Italy’s presence in the region and its potential as a key partner for Montenegro in its EU integration process.
The keynote address was delivered by Savo Kentera, President of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, who spoke about Montenegro’s political and security development—from the restoration of independence to its membership in NATO. He emphasized that European integration represents a logical continuation of this path:
“Montenegro has demonstrated clear political will and persistence in implementing reforms. NATO membership was a key milestone, while EU membership is seen as the natural completion of this process. I believe it is realistic for this goal to be achieved in the first half of 2028, during Italy’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union—an event that would send a strong signal to the entire region.”
In the concluding remarks, Professor Gestri reiterated the importance of institutional cooperation, assessing that the partnership with the Atlantic Council of Montenegro represents a tangible bridge between the academic community and contemporary political and social developments in the region.
The Atlantic Council of Montenegro will continue, through international partnerships and initiatives such as this, to actively contribute to strengthening European dialogue, promoting Euro-Atlantic values, and supporting the European Union enlargement process in the Western Balkans.
