TIRANA, Albania (AP) — European Union leaders on Monday offered the six Western Balkan countries a new growth plan that opens up parts of the EU’s single market in exchange for deep reforms, ahead of their accession to full part of the block.
The integration of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia into the EU was discussed on Monday at a summit in the Albanian capital as part of the annual negotiations called Berlin Process. The meeting took place in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, as well as the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Russia war in Ukraine has put the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU at the top of the 27-nation bloc’s agenda. The EU is trying to restart the entire enlargement process, which has been stalled since 2013, when Croatia became the last country to join.
The six Western Balkan countries are at different stages of integration into the bloc. Serbia and Montenegro launched accession negotiations a few years ago, followed by Albania and Macedonia last year, while Bosnia and Kosovo have only begun the first stage of the accession process. ‘integration.
Scholtz said that “the Berlin process is the best instrument not only to unlock the full potential of regional cooperation, but also to accelerate the integration of all Western Balkan countries.”
The EU required Western Balkan countries to reform their economies and political institutions before joining, including improving the regulatory structure of businesses, fighting corruption and eradicating organized crime.
Von der Leyen said on Monday that the EU’s new growth plan for these countries could allow them to access parts of the EU single market on a case-by-case basis in exchange for demonstrated reforms.
Countries could join the EU market in the areas of goods and services, road transport, energy, electricity, customs cooperation, e-commerce and cashless payments, “to not to name just a few,” said von der Leyen.
Countries that quickly comply with the requested reforms will in turn receive investments, von der Leyen said. The Commission chief said EU leaders proposed an investment program of 6 billion euros ($6.3 billion), 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in grants and 4 billion euros ($4.2 billion) in loans.
“The funds will be released once the reforms are implemented. So it’s conditional,” she said at the press conference at the end of the summit.
The EU has already mobilized 16 billion euros ($16.8 billion) to invest in the region, up from the 30 billion euros ($31.5 billion) promised three years ago.
“We really need to exploit the potential of the Western Balkans and bring it closer to the European single market,” von der Leyen said. By failing to advance reforms, “the only person you can block is yourself,” she said.
A bitter argument between Serbia and Kosovoformer Serbian province which declared its independence in 2008, remains a major concern for the EU.
An EU-facilitated dialogue to normalize relations has stalled, following a recent shootout between masked Serbian gunmen and Kosovo police that left four dead and raised tensions in the region.
Scholtz called on Serbia and Kosovo to return to the negotiating table, stressing “the urgent need to work together and overcome antagonism.”
EU officials have urged Balkan countries to overcome regional conflicts and stand in solidarity as Russia wages war in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron did not attend the summit and sent a representative instead, due to a fatal shooting at a school in northern France, but he was due to begin an official visit to Tirana later on Monday.
Von der Leyen said she saw the new growth plan as “a very strong incentive”, adding that “only by working together will we bring the Western Balkans where they belong, in the heart of the European Union “.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed the new plan as promising because it supports “the idea of a decent relationship that works more like partners sharing a home with better understanding.”
“The new growth plan has the potential, if implemented, to double the size of the Western Balkan economy,” von der Leyen said.
The summit, which is being held for the first time in a non-EU country, took place in a pharaonic location, known as The pyramid. It was built in 1988 as a posthumous museum for Albania’s communist-era strongman Enver Hoxha.
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