Montenegro takes small step toward EU

The tiny Balkan state of Montenegro on Thursday (15 March) achieved the first small step on the long road to EU membership.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn and Montenegrin prime minister Zeljko Sturanovic both initialled a pre-entry deal on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), with a formal agreement on the SAA to come only after Montenegro has carried out further internal reforms.

However, it is a significant step for Montenegro which sees itself one day joining...