SKOPJE, North Macedonia — The European Commission’s top official said Monday that a decade-long investment package for Western Balkan countries seeking to join the bloc could vastly improve the region's economy but is conditioned on required reforms.
She said the plan would allow Western Balkan companies access to key sectors of the block’s single market, while at the same time countries in the region would be expected to open their own markets to their neighbors. “We can only achieve all these steps forward and successes if Kosovo and Serbia normalize their relations,” she said at a news conference after meeting with Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani.
She also will travel to Serbia, where she said a key topic of discussion would be that Serbia should “deliver” on recognition of Kosovo.She will also make stops in Montenegro and Bosnia.While Montenegro and Serbia are advancing, North Macedonia and Albania started membership negotiations with the EU in July 2022. Bosnia was granted candidate status five months later, while Kosovo was recognized as a potential candidate to join the block.