MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany) explained on Monday 4 May that she would ask the European Commission to introduce “strong conditionality” for support to the Western Balkans, particularly for macro-financial aid.
She stressed the importance of human rights, democracy and the fight against corruption and said the EU should stress the complicated status of the media in the region.
Ms von Cramon-Taubadel also asked about monitoring the implementation of this cross-compliance. She said some governments in the region may be reluctant to scrutiny of the money and it is “important for us to make sure that taxpayers’ money is not channelled in wrong, illegitimate channels.
The European Commission has proposed €3.3 billion in assistance to the six Western Balkan countries to deal with the Covid-19 crisis (see EUROPE 12477/8). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)