The EU Council approves the position on the plan for economic growth in the Balkans

2024-03-06 18:14:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EU Council approves the position on the plan for economic growth in the

The member countries of the European Union (EU) agreed on Wednesday during a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels for a common position of the Council of the EU on the six billion plan for reforms and economic growth for the countries of the Western Balkans.

Now, the next step is for the European Parliament to approve its position, probably next week, before the talks between the three main institutions of the EU, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament, begin to finally formalize this plan.

The announcement of the EU Council states that the purpose of this plan is to help the countries of the Western Balkans region in the process of reforms and economic growth, so that they accelerate their membership in the EU.

In this plan, the European Union has planned to allocate 6 billion euros to Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia for the period 2024-2027.

According to the Kosovar Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, Kosovo is expected to benefit from 950 million euros - at the same time the largest fund ever allocated by the bloc for it, in a relatively short period.

The plan, first presented by the European Commission (EC) in November 2023 and now also supported by the Council, envisages that two billion euros will be non-refundable funds, while the other four billion will be given in the form of affordable loans.

However, the Council notes that the payments will be subject to strict criteria, which are related to reforms in the rule of law and respect for the bloc's financial interests.

In the announcement of the EU Council on Wednesday, it is said that "an increased concentration is devoted to the adaptation of partners to the positions of the EU in the field of foreign and security policy".

However, in the document approved by the Council, adaptation to the bloc's foreign policy positions is not explicitly mentioned as a prerequisite.

It states in a more general way that "beneficiaries must demonstrate reliable commitment to European values, including through their adaptation to the bloc's common foreign and security policy, including restrictive measures".

The European Parliament has proposed that adaptation to the EU's positions in foreign policy be a clear prerequisite and that it is also formally mentioned that this also means supporting sanctions against Russia.

Serbia is the only country in the Balkans, which has not yet adapted to the positions of the EU regarding sanctions against Russia.

Both the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament, as a specific precondition for Kosovo and Serbia, mention their constructive engagement in the normalization of relations and the implementation of all obligations from the dialogue agreements mediated by the EU itself.

The position of the Council states that, if it is estimated that any country in the region has not met the conditions, then the payment from this plan will be suspended to that country.

And, if the situation later changes and that country again meets the specified criteria, then the funds will be unlocked for it.

In all these cases, the proposal must be made by the European Commission, while the Council will approve it within a maximum period of one month./ Rel