European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos urged Western Balkan countries on Thursday to accelerate reforms to access funds from the EU’s Growth Plan, warning that delays could jeopardize hundreds of millions of euros intended for infrastructure and public projects.
Speaking at the “Growth Plan – Our Road to the EU” summit in Tirana, Kos emphasized that Europe cannot be secure without the Western Balkans fully integrated and acknowledged past shortcomings in EU engagement with the region.
“The Growth Plan has been in place for two years, and we have another two years to fully allocate the €6 billion in available funds,” Kos said. “Some countries, notably Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina, have yet to begin key reforms. If reforms are not implemented by June, nearly €300 million in earmarked funds could be at risk. These funds are meant to benefit citizens, supporting projects such as tram lines, roads, schools, and hospitals.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama highlighted the transformative impact of regional reforms under the Growth Plan, noting that €490 million have been leveraged across public finance, energy, and other sectors. Rama stressed that the Western Balkans seeks to grow in alignment with Europe, not at its expense, and pointed to the critical importance of Corridor 8 for European security and NATO operations.
North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski reaffirmed his country’s commitment to EU integration and regional cooperation. He described the summit as an opportunity to strengthen joint efforts among Western Balkan nations in aligning with EU standards and advancing regional development.
The summit brought together leaders from the Western Balkans, Commissioner Kos, and senior EU officials to discuss implementation of the Growth Plan, economic integration, and accelerating reforms across the region. Mickoski is expected to present North Macedonia’s priorities and regional cooperation initiatives in a panel on “Meeting Shared Obligations: Results and Acceleration.”
The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, adopted by the European Commission on November 8, 2023, allocates €6 billion to the region. It is structured around four pillars: strengthening economic integration into the EU single market, promoting intra-regional economic integration, accelerating key reforms, and increasing financial support to facilitate reform implementation. North Macedonia is allocated €750 million under the plan.