European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić are expected to discuss the Western Balkan country’s reform agenda for the New Growth Plan for the region, among other topics.
ADVERTISEMENTEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is next in line to meet with Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, right after French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit of his own to the Western Balkan country.
Macron arrived in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss economic issues, defence, energy, and artificial intelligence. Most notably, the two agreed on the sale of 12 French-manufactured Rafale fighter jets worth €3 billion to Serbia and the potential construction of modular nuclear energy reactors.
Soon after Macron’s departure on Friday afternoon, Vučić announced his meeting with von der Leyen in Prague, where she gave a keynote speech at the GLOBSEC Forum, stating on Instagram he was already on his way for “important meetings” in the central European country.
While lithium might remain a major topic of conversation, as Brussels remains keen on securing critical raw materials for its green transition, the two are also expected to discuss a reform agenda submitted to the European Commission by Belgrade that could bring in a significant financial injection to the EU membership hopeful.
As part of the New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, approved by the Commission in November, countries in the Western Balkan region will be able to receive funding under the condition of implementing reforms. A total of €6 billion has been allocated to the plan.
EU funding in exchange for reforms
The funding program aims to bring the Western Balkan countries closer to the EU by offering some of the benefits of EU membership to the region in advance of accession, boosting economic growth and accelerating socio-economic convergence.
Serbia has submitted its reform agenda, which is necessary to qualify for funding, to the European Commission for consultation.
Tanja Miščević, Minister for European Integration of the Government of Serbia, told Euronews Serbia that “there is not too much work left” and that “first the Commission and then the member states should confirm our reform agendas.”
The European Commission says financial support will depend on the successful implementation of reforms: “Appropriate funds will be released twice a year, based on the request of the beneficiary of the funds and verification by the Commission subject to three sets of conditions.”
Certain conditions are required of all candidates, who must demonstrate their for respect democratic mechanisms like free and fair elections, media pluralism and an independent judiciary.
Serbia and Kosovo — Serbia’s former province that declared independence in 2008 which Belgrade does not recognise — also need to normalise their relations.
Of the total €6bn in funding, €2bn will be directly paid into the countries’ budgets, while €4bn will be in loans. According to unofficial estimates, Serbia could receive between €1bn and €630 million.