EU bureaucracies block the 'Growth Plan', the promise of 6 billion euros for the Balkans towards failure

2024-03-27 16:04:59Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
EU bureaucracies block the 'Growth Plan', the promise of 6 billion
Leaders of the Western Balkans

The €6 billion 'growth plan' that the European Union promised for the Western Balkans as a stimulus to bring the nations closer to full integration has stalled among Brussels bureaucracies. The internal rules of the EU provide that for the approval of this plan, an agreement must be reached between the Council and the Parliament.

This agreement is still lacking. Radio Free Europe says that the two main institutions of the union are engaged in heated talks and under time pressure to approve this plan before the end of April, when the European Parliament closes and dissolves, after the end of May and the beginning of June it's the new elections.

Citing sources, Radio Free Europe says that the positions have been aligned, but the time for an agreement seems insufficient because before the vote in the parliament, the agreement will have to be voted on in the foreign policy and budget commissions.

If the plan fails to be voted by then, then the vote will be postponed to the new European Parliament, which will require time for constitution, establishment of parliamentary groups and commissions. In such a situation, it is not expected that the EU will keep its promise of a 6 billion euro aid package for the Western Balkans before the end of this year.

The growth plan was trumpeted by EU leaders during the summit held in Tirana at the end of February. According to the idea of ​​the EU, out of 6 billion, 2 billion will be grants and another four billion in the form of loans for the six countries of the region. The fund will be distributed to each country based on population size.


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