The European Commission’s top official said Monday that a decade-long investment program for Western Balkan countries seeking to join the bloc could significantly improve the region’s economy, but is conditional on necessary reforms.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed details of the 6 billion euro ($6.37 billion) package during a visit to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, at the start of a four-day trip to the region . EU leaders presented the package at a Western Balkans meeting in Albania earlier this month.
At a news conference Monday with North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, von der Leyen said the EU package had the potential to double North Macedonia’s economy within a decade. “This is the goal, and it will play an important role in your journey to the EU,” she said.
She said the plan would allow Western Balkan companies to access key sectors of the bloc’s single market, while at the same time countries in the region should open their own markets to their neighbors.
“If realized, the common regional market could increase (gross domestic product) by 10% in the Western Balkans,” she said.
Von der Leyen also stressed the need for the Western Balkans to pursue “positive reforms.”
She said North Macedonia should benefit from an efficient public administration, healthy public finances and an independent judiciary. It also needs to do a better job of fighting corruption, she said.
Later on Monday, the head of the European Commission visited Kosovo. She will also stop in Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia.
Six Western Balkan countries are at different stages on the path to joining the EU, in a process expected to take years.
While Montenegro and Serbia are making progress, North Macedonia and Albania began accession negotiations with the EU in July 2022. Bosnia was granted candidate status five months later, while Kosovo been recognized as a potential candidate to join the bloc.