European Commission president to embark on Western Balkans' tour

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit the Western Balkan countries on September 30 - October 2, where she will discuss partnership on the path to these states' accession to the EU and their gradual integration, European Commission representative Arianna Podesta said at a briefing in Brussels, Report informs.

During her sixth annual visit, von der Leyen will visit Tirana (Albania), Pristina (Kosovo), Podgorica (Montenegro), and Skopje (North Macedonia), where she will meet with heads of state and government and visit EU-funded projects.

"Our Union will not be complete without the Western Balkans," von der Leyen said at the EU-Western Balkans summit in June, Podesta recalled.

According to her, during the trip, the European Commission president will focus on the partners' further steps on the path to the EU and progress within the gradual integration supported by the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

Von der Leyen intends to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia later due to the upcoming parliamentary and general elections there, respectively.