Kosovo, Serbia to be assessed individually by EU Economic Growth Fund

Thus has EU Director General for Enlargement and Neighborship Negotiations Gert Jan Koopman declared during a discussion held on Wednesday at the EU Commission for Foreign Policy and Buzhet.

He has said that payments from the Plan for Economic Growth will be conducted only after there is evidence that necessary reforms have been undertaken. Of the six countries in the region are required to have action plans for reform, and their fulfillment will be assessed twice a year.

Speaking of conditions, he has particularly mentioned rule of law, respect for human rights, and respect for democratic values.

Koopman has said that Kosovo and Serbia will have specific conditions, and they relate to reports between them.

The specific conditions will be for Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in normalising the reports. This will be done individually for each of these two countries. In other words, if one country does not advance, the other country will not stumble if it advances to reform”.

According to the European Commission, half the means from the Development Plan in the Western Balkans region will go into the investment framework, because existing tools that are available are not enough to carry out the needed investments.

The rest will go directly to the country's budget, to finance some of the necessary reforms.

Koopman has shown that the model will be simplified, to adapt to the Western Balkans, but also respecting EU rules.

The European Commission believes that this plan that will separate specific tools for each country will greatly change the Balkan region and be the generator for considerable economic growth.

Without significant economic growth, the Western Balkans region will not be able to advance in achieving EU integration goals“, this EU official has said.

The European Commission's top official has clarified that some of the financial means will be provided to countries in the region as non-responsive assistance, and part will be in the form of favourable loans.

He has said these loans are necessary, as the countries of the region are unable to secure loans on the international market under favourable conditions.

Some MPs have demanded that these means benefit even small- and medium-sized enterprises, nongovernmental organisations, and not that they be used to strengthen political structures.

Among other things, funds are required to be directed towards addressing demographic challenges and leaving young people. / REL