Two-thirds of Montenegro's citizens (66.4 percent) support the idea of the country joining the European Union while 26.7 percent are opposed to it, indicates a survey conducted for the EU Delegation in Montenegro and released on Wednesday.

The greatest obstacle on Montenegro's path to EU membership is crime and corruption, according to those surveyed.

“Respondents were asked what the biggest problem in the country is and they answered unemployment and the job shortage, followed by corruption and organised crime. Citizens surveyed noted that crime and corruption were the greatest obstacles on Montenegro's path to the EU,” said Olivera Komar of the De Facto Consultancy agency that conducted the survey on a sample of 1,014 respondents.

The results show that more than one-fourth of Montenegrins (76.2 percent) would support Montenegro's accession to the EU if a referendum was held whereas 20 percent of those surveyed would vote against accession.

Komar said that “53.3 percent of Montenegrin citizens believe that the country will join the EU by 2025 while 10.4 percent think that Montenegro will never become a member of the EU.” She underlined that the first association related to the EU for 28.8 percent of the respondents was a “better future and improved living standards.”

After the results of the survey were presented to Montenegrin politicians, the head of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, Aivo Orav, said on Twitter that “citizens want prosperity, rule of law, eradication of corruption and more opportunities for youth. 76 percent would vote for EU and expect their politicians to deliver. The message for leaders – in the EU we solve problems through dialogue, which is needed in Montenegro too.”

Of all the countries in the Western Balkans, Montenegro has made the most progress in its EU accession negotiations. It has opened 32 of a total of 33 negotiation chapters.