In Skopje today, Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, emphasized the need for reforming the values of the European Union in the Western Balkans. He also stressed that the support of the European Union should extend to financial assistance.

He made these statements at the beginning of the ‘Western Balkans Growth Plan and Faster Integration in the EU’ conference, taking place in the capital of North Macedonia.

The EU plan for the Western Balkans aims at fostering economic growth in the region, expediting necessary reforms, and making strategic investments to advance the process of EU enlargement with these countries.

The EU has allocated 6 billion euros for this plan in the period 2024-2027.

“Today, the Republic of Kosovo will submit the list of discussed reforms, and in the following days, we will also present the list of indicative projects. Our focus for reforms is on public administration and public finance management, while among the projects, we emphasize those related to the green agenda, digitalization, investments in the private sector, and addressing the infrastructural gap,” stated Kurti briefly.

Kurti also mentioned that this plan accelerates the Balkans’ path towards the EU, describing it as “both our goal and our destiny. “

The meeting is hosted by the Macedonian Prime Minister, Dimitar Kovacevski, with participation from the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Millojko Spajic, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.

In addition to Western Balkans leaders, the United States is represented by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, James O’Brien. Among the European officials is the Director-General of the European Neighborhood Commission, Gert Jan Koopman, and other officials.

Prime Minister Kovacevski has announced the adoption of a declaration at the end.

/m.ll/