Agenda which will enable Serbia to access EU money meant for Western Balkans presented – EUR 1.58 billion available to our country

The European Union Delegation and the Ministry for European Integration of Serbia have presented the reform agenda which will enable Serbia to access the money that the European Union has intended for our country through the Western Balkans Growth Plan.

According to this plan, EUR 1.58 billion is meant for Serbia. There are 98 measures, divided into 4 fields, the fulfillment of which is the requirement for the payments.

By the end of the year, EUR 112 million should be paid to Serbia as a form of pre-financing if the conditions are met.

Among them are the adoption of the recommendations made by the ODIHR, amendments to the media laws and the harmonization of the visa regime with the EU regulations.

The head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, said that corruption and the non-functioning of the courts were an economic expense.

– We believe that reforms in the field of rule of law are crucial to the proper functioning of the society, and this is important for the citizens. The aim is to pay, by the end of the year, seven percent of the amount of EUR 1.58 billion that Serbia can count on from the Plan. Fifty percent of the money will go to the budget, and the rest to infrastructure projects – said Giaufret.

The minister for European integration of Serbia, Tanja Miscevic, says that, without reforms in the field of rule of law, there is no socio-economic growth and development.

– The first and basic function of those measures is proof, proof of credibility in the European integration process, they don’t replace the negotiation process, but they should definitely accelerate the process, because we have extracted some of those important reforms from the strategic documents – says Miscevic.

In addition to the reform agenda, the growth plan also envisages funds for its implementation and gradual integration into the European single market, as well as the implementation of the measures within the Western Balkans Common Regional Market.

The four fields of reform that need to be worked on are the business environment and development of the private sector, green and digital transition, human capital and measures in the field of rule of law.

Delegacija Evropske unije u Republici Srbiji Beograd

Ministarstvo za evropske integracije Republike Srbije

European Union Delegation to Serbia

Ministry for European Integration of Serbia

Emanuele Giaufret

Tanja Miščević

Western Balkans Growth Plan

amendments to media laws

ODIHR

harmonization of visa regime

corruption