A draft report by the European Commission says Montenegro's lawmakers have failed to demonstrate a commitment to enacting reforms needed to bring it closer to the European Union.
The report, a copy of which was seen by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, is due to be released on October 12 as part of an annual review of progress by Montenegro -- and five other Western Balkan countries -- in their drive to join the bloc.
The draft highlighted "political tensions, polarization, and the absence of constructive engagement between political parties," which the European Commission said was impeding consensus building on key matters of national interest in Montenegro.
"There was no credible political dialogue and constructive engagement by political parties with a view to enhancing parliamentary accountability and government oversight," the draft says, noting the strife has led to the fall of two governments through no-confidence votes.
The report added that little progress has been made regarding the comprehensive reform of the electoral, legal, and institutional framework, including on recommendations from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR).
The report says Montenegro is "moderately prepared" with regard to public administration reform and its judicial system, though "the implementation of key judicial reforms remains stalled."
It also lauds the country's progress in aligning its foreign policy with the bloc, and while its track record in the fight against corruption and organized crime has also made some progress, the report says there are still major areas that need improvement.