The spokeswoman of the European Commission for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Ana Pisonero, said today, speaking about the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, that the European Commission expects all partners from the Western Balkans to finalize their reform agendas and that in the case of Belgrade and Pristina, one of the prerequisites is a constructive cooperation within the dialogue obligations.
“When we receive these reform agendas, we will be able to evaluate them and approve the reform agendas, after consultation with the member countries. We are waiting for partners from the Western Balkans,” said Pisonero at a press conference in Brussels, when asked by an Albanian journalist if the EU’s special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, has made an assessment of the constructiveness of the two parties in the dialogue to determine whether they will benefit from the first set of payments from economic growth plan for the Western Balkans.
She added that “in the case of Kosovo and Serbia, there is a prerequisite to cooperate constructively within the framework of the obligations from the dialogue”.
“This will be monitored, but first we expect the parties to send their reform agendas,” said Pisonero.
Asked if anything can be expected this month when it comes to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, she said that it is “a bit difficult to predict” from the EU side.
“We are basically waiting for all our partners to present their finalized reform agendas and then it will have to be evaluated by us. We will also have consultations with the member states. In the case of Kosovo and Serbia, there is a general precondition that they will have to engage constructively in the normalization of relations, both sides risk losing important opportunities in the absence of progress”, said Pisonero.
When it comes to the appointment of a new EU special envoy for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and other regional issues of the Western Balkans, the spokesperson of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Nabila Masrali, said that it is issued a recommendation, to extend Miroslav Lajcak’s mandate in that office for five months, i.e. until January 31, 2025.
“The decision on this will be taken by the Council”, said Masrali.
On May 7, the Council of the EU officially approved the creation of the Instrument for Reform and Growth for the Western Balkans, which gives the region, including Serbia, access to additional financial assistance of six billion euros in the period 2024-2027.
