Leaders of the 27 European Union member-states on Friday decided to give Montenegro the status of candidate country but they did not set a date for the start of membership talks.

We have decided to award Montenegro the status of a country candidate and we expressed confidence of the European Council that western Balkan countries have European prospects, the European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said at a news conference in Brussels on Friday.

The European Commission has set several preconditions which Montenegro should meet in the fields of the rule of law, reform of judiciary, electoral system, public administration, parliament media freedom, anti-corruption drive before Brussels sets the date for the beginning of the accession negotiations.

Currently five countries are formal candidate countries: Croatia, Iceland, FYRMacedonia, Turkey and Montenegro.