28.10.2024, Brussels.
The expansion of the European Union to include the Western Balkan countries will be a “top priority,” announced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on October 28, as reported by Le Point.
The European Commission President visited Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, reminding each of these EU candidate countries, along with Ukraine, Moldova, and potentially Georgia, that the EU will maintain high standards for membership.
According to von der Leyen, opening the European single market to certain economic sectors of candidate countries, in exchange for reforms and with EU investment support, will begin immediately. Allocated funds include €920 million for Albania, €750 million for North Macedonia, €1.5 billion for Serbia, €882 million for Kosovo, and €380 million for Montenegro. Initial financing is set to start in late 2024, with amounts ranging from €27 million for Montenegro to €110 million for Serbia.
This new initiative complements the existing Western Balkans Investment Plan, launched four years ago, which has already provided substantial funding: €1.4 billion to Albania, €1.7 billion to North Macedonia, nearly €5 billion to Serbia, and over €2 billion to Montenegro.
Von der Leyen stated that the EU now has all the tools and means necessary to make expansion a reality. The first concrete step will be integrating these countries into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) by 2025, allowing for faster and cost-free transactions within the EU.
Candidate countries, in turn, are required to adopt key legislative measures, including the Border Control Law, the new law on the Supreme Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, the Courts Act, and an Elections Act, which must comply with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights and the European Court of Justice.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency.
