North Macedonia welcomed leaders from the European Union and the Western Balkans on Monday evening ahead of a high-level summit in Skopje dedicated to the implementation of the EU’s Growth Plan for the region, amid coordinated efforts to accelerate integration and unlock substantial EU funding tied to key reforms.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski hosted the arrivals of EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Marta Kos, as well as Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, and Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti. In a post on Facebook, Mickoski called the event a “significant occasion” and said he was using the opportunity to advocate for North Macedonia’s national interests and policy priorities.
Earlier in the day, Mickoski held bilateral talks with Commissioner Kos, where he reiterated his government’s commitment to EU integration through “a dignified process and substantial reforms” in the rule of law, economic development, and digital transformation.
The summit, set to begin Tuesday, includes two panel discussions. The first will focus on the rollout of the EU’s Growth Plan, with keynote addresses from Mickoski and Kos, followed by a joint press conference. The second panel will explore specific mechanisms and financial support tools for implementation of the plan.
Last week, the European Commission confirmed that Kos would visit Skopje as part of a broader regional initiative that includes meetings with leaders from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Local Albanian Leaders Meet Kurti and Rama
Ahead of the summit, key Albanian political figures from North Macedonia held separate meetings with visiting regional leaders to express support for EU integration and to raise internal political concerns.
Deputy Prime Minister Izet Mexhiti, a leader of the VLEN coalition, welcomed Kosovo’s Kurti at the border, calling him “a brother, a friend, and a leader of a country that always stands by us.” In a Facebook message, Mexhiti said the meeting symbolized shared values and commitment to the region’s European future.
“We discussed sincerely the challenges and opportunities ahead of us — for our people, for our countries, and for our shared path to Europe,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Ali Ahmeti, head of the opposition Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Skopje. The talks focused on EU enlargement, interethnic relations, and what Ahmeti called “serious threats to the Ohrid Framework Agreement,” the landmark peace deal that established power-sharing principles after the 2001 conflict in North Macedonia.
Ahmeti emphasized that “the region’s European future is common and indivisible,” and thanked Rama for Albania’s consistent support for the equality and EU aspirations of Albanians in North Macedonia.
€750 Million at Stake: Growth Plan Tied to Ambitious Reforms
Under the EU’s €6 billion Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, North Macedonia is expected to receive more than €750 million by 2027 — contingent on delivering a broad set of reforms across eight key areas. The government’s final reform agenda for 2024–2027 was submitted to the European Commission in September 2024 and approved in October.
According to EU and government documents reviewed by KDP.mk, the first disbursement of €52.5 million was made in December 2024, with an additional €17 million requested in June 2025 — more than half of which is earmarked for capital investments. The release of future tranches will depend on verified progress. If targets are missed by June 2026, the EU may request repayment of the initial pre-financing.
The reforms cover:
- Rule of law, including a new civil procedure law and reforms of the Judicial Council.
- Public administration, with emphasis on service digitalization and legal impact assessments.
- Green and energy transition, including legislation on renewables and a national climate transition plan.
- Digitalization and public procurement, supported by new IT systems for public finance and agriculture.
- Human capital, focusing on education and skills for the green and digital economy.
- Business environment, easing regulatory burdens and supporting SMEs.
- Public investment, with 19 projects valued at €1.1 billion co-financed by the WBIF and other donors.
- IPA 2025–2027 funding, amounting to €67 million for justice, education, and innovation.
The European Commission has linked the new funding instrument to progress in EU accession negotiations, underscoring that reforms are vital for both citizens and regional stability. As a candidate country, North Macedonia is expected to soon open negotiations on the EU’s fundamental values cluster, pending progress on rule of law benchmarks.
Combined with existing IPA funds and investment programs, North Macedonia could gain access to over €1 billion in total EU support through 2027.