The European Commission announced yesterday support worth 171 million euros to advance the development of infrastructure and the private sector in the Western Balkans.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia will receive the funds, and with the financial package approved yesterday, as the Commission emphasized, the European Union’s (EU) commitment to sustainable growth and regional connectivity in the Western Balkans is being strengthened.
The new support package includes funds from various EU financing sources, contributions from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) for a project in BiH, contributions from bilateral donors from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) for a project in Montenegro, and contributions from the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) for projects in Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that investing in the Union’s partners from the Western Balkans is crucial for bringing them closer to the EU.
“Over more than two years since the adoption of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, we have worked, among other things, through the Western Balkans Investment Framework to turn commitments into action. From improving infrastructure to advancing business development, these investments create real opportunities for citizens,” Kos emphasized.
Of the total amount, 91.8 million euros are earmarked for infrastructure projects in the four EU partners in the Western Balkans. These funds are expected to mobilize total investments of 263 million euros for seven projects in priority sectors, including digitalization, clean energy, human capital, transport, and the environment.
Specifically, this includes the implementation of broadband infrastructure in Albania, the upgrading of the electricity transmission system in North Macedonia, the construction and energy-efficient renovation of educational institutions in North Macedonia and Montenegro, the electrification of the Durres-Tirana railway in Albania, and a drinking water and wastewater treatment project in BiH.
The Commission announced that these projects will be implemented by EU partners from the Western Balkans, together with international financial institutions.
In addition, 2.9 million euros are earmarked for four technical assistance projects in Albania and BiH to stimulate future investments in energy, water, innovation, and research.
The other part of the package, worth 76.3 million euros, consists of contributions for programs that support the private sector, including the Western Balkans Forward Program, the “Go Green” Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Program, the Western Balkans Opportunities pilot program for non-traditional financing (W-BOND), as well as strengthening the capacities of public-private partnerships and governance in BiH.
