In the EU we Trust! The Role of Civil Society in Policy Making and Europeanization in Montenegro

The paper's main goal is to explore the dynamic and the transformations of civil society in Montenegro in congruence with democracy-related processes and prospects of EU integration. The theoretical underlining assumptions pertain to ideational factors which shape communities, societies, state-identity and state-interests. The social- constructivist theorizing will be employed in order to illustrate the ways in which civil society in Montenegro has evolved, from the post-socialist logic to a regional post-war environment, and then to the meanings and expectations attached to the EU candidate status. Based on interviews conducted in Podgorica, this research aims to emphasize the factors which contribute to Europeanization processes in Montenegro and the ways in which the European Union's normative power (Ian Manners, 2002) is perceived, received and incorporated into policy making. The interplay between civil society organizations and government decision making will be explored so as to reveal trust in and legitimacy of EU norms and values in Montenegro.