Tirana hosted the Growth Plan Summit under the title “Our Path to the EU”. Leaders of the Western Balkans and the European Commission’s Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos, discussed the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, economic integration, and the next steps the region’s countries must take in order to integrate more effectively into the EU single market. The delegation representing Serbia at the Summit was led by the Prime Minister, Đuro Macut.
The host of the gathering, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, addressed those present at the beginning, stating that the Western Balkans should not be a mere observer but an active factor in Europe, and that by meeting in this way, the countries of the region are doing exactly that.
“Investors see a market, a workforce and a geography aligned with the EU. The Western Balkans are moving from risk to opportunity. We are shifting from the margins of the map towards the centre of our European history, including through the economy. The region is not seeking honours; no one is calling to be rewarded with treats. We are not asking for charity but proving that we are increasingly ready,” Rama said in his opening address.
The region is already part of Europe
The European Union’s Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos, highlighted the strategic role of the region in the continent’s overall security. She said that “Europe cannot be secure without the Western Balkans,” describing the long delay in the region’s integration as a mistake that now needs to be corrected. Kos emphasised that the European Union must accelerate the opening of its doors to countries aspiring to membership and deepen institutional cooperation.
She added that this issue is becoming increasingly linked to Europe’s security framework. According to Marta Kos, the region is already part of Europe, and this reality should in the future be formalised through full membership once the necessary conditions are met.
Marta Kos also pointed out that two years have passed since the launch of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. With half of the four-year period now completed, she said that this is an appropriate moment to assess progress. Two countries, she noted, have not yet begun implementing the agreed reforms, while the two most advanced states have achieved only about half of the required measures.
She underlined that the pace of reforms directly affects the speed of accession, calling on governments to intensify their efforts in implementation.
Charting the path
Two panel discussions were held at the Summit: “Shaping new initiatives with benefits for citizens and businesses” and “Fulfilling joint commitments – Results and acceleration”.
During these sessions, the Western Balkans Roadmap was also launched, and the discussions covered the region’s positioning within the EU AI ecosystem, green corridors, cooperation in the tourism sector, progress towards a regional common market, and the next steps in the process of joining the single market.
The aim of the Summit was to strengthen economic and political cooperation between the Western Balkans and the EU, paving the way for deeper regional integration.
Western Balkan leaders present in Tirana
The Prime Minister of Serbia is heading a delegation that includes the Minister for European Integration, Nemanja Starović, the Minister of External and Internal Trade, Jagoda Lazarević, as well as Nemanja Diković, the Prime Minister’s foreign policy adviser.
In addition to the Serbian delegation, other Western Balkan leaders are also in Tirana, among them the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski.
“This important gathering represents an excellent opportunity to deepen dialogue and strengthen the joint efforts of Western Balkan countries in the process of moving closer to the European Union. Our country remains firmly committed to European integration and regional cooperation as key pillars of our shared vision for a prosperous Western Balkans,” he said upon his arrival in Albania.
Benefits prior to formal accession
The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is a European Union initiative intended to accelerate the region’s economic development and bring countries closer to membership through gradual inclusion in the EU single market. The EU has allocated six billion euros for this plan, of which two billion are grants and four billion favourable loans. The funds are disbursed in instalments, in line with the implementation of reforms undertaken by the countries in areas such as the rule of law, economic governance, business environment, and institutional strengthening. The plan rests on four pillars: economic integration with the EU, strengthening regional cooperation, implementing fundamental reforms, and increasing financial support.
In practice, this plan should allow citizens and businesses in the Western Balkan countries to feel part of the benefits of membership much earlier, through easier access to the EU market, increased investment, and a more stable business environment.
On 21 June this year, Serbia received the first funds under the pre-financing arrangement from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The EU paid 51.7 million euros, representing 7 per cent of the initial pre-financing. Further payments depend on progress.
(EUpravo zato)
