The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, was in Skopje, in North Macedonia, on Monday 30 June and Tuesday 1 July, to attend the meeting of Western Balkans leaders, who were to take stock of the progress made under the European Growth Plan for the region, worth €6 billion over the period 2024-2027 (see EUROPE 13384/4).
North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia have already received funding under the plan. Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was the last of the six countries not to have submitted a reform programme, finally sent its programme to the Commission on Friday 27 June, according to the Commissioner.
As for Kosovo, where a government crisis is paralysing the country, funding for the plan is suspended pending approval by the national parliament, which recently failed for the 38th time in a row to inaugurate a new legislature following the February elections (see EUROPE 13576/12).
Marta Kos expressed general satisfaction with the reforms already underway, although they have not yet been fully finalised or financed.
Some countries, however, deplore the fact that accession is being blocked regardless of the progress made, as in the case of North Macedonia, which fears that Bulgaria will continue to oppose the opening of the first cluster of European policy chapters (see EUROPE 13647/14).
As the leaders have agreed to meet annually, the next meeting is scheduled for 2026 in Tirana, Albania. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)