On May 21, Montenegro will mark two decades since the historic referendum that paved the way for its secession from its state union with Serbia.
The anniversary celebrations will take place in an atmosphere shaped by the country's reputation as the Western Balkans' "high achiever" in the EU accession process.
Over the past few years, Podgorica has managed to kick-start its stalled EU accession talks, speed up reforms and position itself as the frontrunner in the region to join the EU at a time when Brussels has renewed its interest in bringing new members into the bloc.
"It's easy to be the star pupil in a classroom of bad students," Daliborka Uljarevic of the Centre for Civic Education in Podgorica told DW.
Her remark reflects the broader regional context. While much of the Western Balkans has stagnated, or even regressed, on the path toward the European Union, Montenegro has managed to capitalize on the geopolitical momentum created by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the EU's renewed focus on enlargement.
