European Commission to provide concessional loan to Western Balkan countries

The European Commission will provide a concessional loan to countries of the Western Balkans, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

According to Report"s Balkan bureau, von der Leyen made the remarks at a press conference following the EU–Western Balkans Summit, held together with European Council President António Costa and Montenegro's President Jakov Milatović.

She said the summit focused mainly on the Development Plan and EU enlargement issues.

"We all confirm that the Western Balkans are part of the European Union, and this is absolutely clear. This is not just a promise for the future, but our strategic choice. We are implementing this through investments, closer cooperation, and of course through confidence that we will move forward together," she said.

Von der Leyen noted that the Development Plan enables gradual integration into the EU single market across different sectors.

"We are opening single market sectors to Western Balkan companies. In return, the countries of the Western Balkans must carry out reforms to ensure fair conditions and equal benefits," she added.

She described the measures as practical and concrete steps, noting that €675 million in investments have already been allocated, with a further €540 million tranche to follow.

According to her, the funding supports projects such as high-speed internet access for 75,000 households, railway electrification, and the creation of preschool education facilities.

She also highlighted that initiatives like SEPA, the Single Euro Payments Area, have already been implemented in four Western Balkan countries.