Vucic Confirms Attendance at EU-Western Balkans Tivat Summit on 5 June
President Aleksandar Vucic has confirmed attendance at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat on 5 June after talks with Ursula von der Leyen, with 37 delegations and 420 journalists expected.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has confirmed attendance at the EU-Western Balkans summit to be held in Tivat on 5 June. The decision was taken after talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
The Montenegrin authorities describe the summit as an unprecedented diplomatic event, the most significant political gathering in the country’s history. The numbers are striking:
- 37 state delegations
- 420 accredited journalists
- Tivat declared a special security zone from 3 to 5 June
Vucic told Politika on 27 May that the decision was taken after a direct conversation with Von der Leyen during his Washington visit the previous week.
The president’s office said the summit is an opportunity to make Serbia’s voice heard in the final phase of EU enlargement. Belgrade will press for fair and accelerated opening of the next negotiating clusters.
Vucic comes to Tivat immediately after his state visit to China. Political commentator professor Djordje Vukadinovic in Vreme reads the scheduling as balancing two simultaneous geopolitical narratives.
Who is coming and what is on the agenda
The summit host is the Montenegrin government led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajic. Tivat was selected as the central location, using the Porto Montenegro facilities.
The Montenegrin government has confirmed the attendance of the EU’s leading quartet:
- French President Emmanuel Macron
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
The EU has confirmed the attendance of Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs is also coming.
Alongside Serbia, the summit brings delegations from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. The main agenda is EU enlargement and the progress of each candidate country in opening and closing negotiation clusters.
According to N1, one of the background topics will be coordination of positions on the Russia-Ukraine war. The focus is on aligning the sanctions regime of the Western Balkan states with EU policy.
Security and logistics in Montenegro
Tivat is preparing intensively to host the summit, according to the Montenegrin Interior Ministry. From 4 to 5 June there will be temporary traffic restrictions across the city, with special limits in the Porto Montenegro zone.
The Justice Ministry has announced a special procedure for the passage of official delegation vehicles. The procedures, according to Dan portal, are coordinated with the European External Action Service.
From the Montenegrin opposition, Democratic Front president Andrija Mandic said the summit is a diplomatic affirmation of Montenegro’s historical importance. In his assessment, it lifts international attention after years of Western retreat from active regional policy.
Prime Minister Spajic told RTNK on 26 May:
Tivat is already ready for Europe, and the summit is a signal that Montenegro is closer to membership than ever before in its history.
What the Serbian opposition and government say
From the Serbian opposition, Freedom and Justice Party leader Pavle Grbovic said Vucic should use the summit to present a clear reform programme that returns Serbia to the European path.
The Democratic Party said the summit represents a test of the government’s real commitment to European integration, after two of the president’s trips to Beijing in the past year.
From ruling SNS, Brnabic said Vucic’s decision to attend confirms the continuity of Serbia’s European policy.
According to 021 portal, Vucic will be accompanied to Tivat by Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic.
The list of specific meetings Vucic plans to hold before and after the plenary will be published in the first week of June. According to our sources, a meeting with Merz is being prepared, along with bilateral talks with Macron on energy cooperation.
The next major date for Serbian foreign policy is 12 June. A working session is scheduled in Brussels with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, where Serbia’s final assessment for opening the next cluster is expected.
Will the Tivat summit deliver a concrete cluster-opening calendar for Serbia by the end of 2026?
