Kosovo and Serbia will not receive pre-financing under the EU’s €6 billion Growth Plan for the Western Balkans at this stage, confirmed European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier on Thursday.

“I can confirm that, at this stage, there is no pre-financing for Serbia and Kosovo,” Mercier told the media.

He added that an assessment has yet to be made on whether Kosovo and Serbia have fulfilled the prerequisites to start benefiting from the Growth Plan.

One of the key prerequisites is their commitment to the normalization of relations, including the implementation of obligations arising from the EU-facilitated dialogue.

Tensions between the two countries have recently deepened, with mutual bans on official visits and Kosovo accusing Serbia of showing “no interest” in normalizing ties — particularly following Serbia’s protest against Kenya’s recent recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

“At this stage, I cannot confirm whether the prerequisite has been met or not. Clarification will be provided once a decision is made regarding pre-financing,” Mercier said.

His statement comes just days after Albania and North Macedonia became the first countries in the region to receive pre-financing payments under the Growth Plan.