European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen begins her sixth annual visit to the Western Balkans today, starting in Tirana.

According to the European Commission, she will also travel to Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Her meetings will focus on the next steps for candidate countries as they advance toward EU membership. They will also address the gradual integration process, supported by the €6 billion Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

In Tirana, von der Leyen will meet President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama. According to the government press office, von der Leyen will arrive at the Prime Minister’s Office at 4:30 p.m. She will then hold a joint press conference with Prime Minister Rama at 5:30 p.m.

She will also visit EU-funded projects in Tirana. These include Emin Duraku School, which underwent reconstruction after the damage caused by the 2019 earthquake.

On Thursday, von der Leyen will travel to Pristina. There, she will meet Acting President Albulena Haxhiu and Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Later that day, she will travel to Podgorica. She will meet President Jakov Milatović and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.

During her regional tour, von der Leyen will also visit the new Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences building in Pristina. In North Macedonia, she will visit the railway section of Corridor VIII.

The visit will end on Friday in Skopje. There, von der Leyen will meet President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

In Podgorica, she will also attend the opening of the National Coordination Centre. The new operational centre aims to strengthen Montenegro’s border management. It will also improve information sharing with EU member states and Frontex.