Ministers of Finance of EU adopted investment framework for western Balkans - 1 billion EUR set aside

Serbia and other countries of western Balkans will soon be getting non-refundable funds from European Union under more favorable terms and in a simpler way. - A 1-billion-EUR fund has been established to back implementation of priority projects in the region and the funds will be provided by the countries members of EU and other financial donors and international institutions - says Ana Trbović, the CEO of the Center for European Integrations FEFA. - Allotted funds are intended, first of all, for infrastructural projects and development of economy, as well as for strengthening of smal and mid-sized enterprises in western Balkans.
According to her words, Serbia is the major user of funds that the Union approves to the region of the Balkans.
- Of total of 2.5 billion EUR sent to this region from Brussels in the past 14 years, we used 1.2 billion EUR - Ana Trbović points out and adds that, in the same period, BIH used 754m EUR and Albania only 304m EUR.
With the passing of the new investment plan for western Balkans, which is financially backed with the amount of 1 billion EUR, the funds will be approved in accordance with the dynamics of launching and quality of the projects. Brussels has not determined the quotas for countries in advance, so that the money will be approved to those who persuade financiers, that is, countries members and other financial donors, that their ideas are the most important and the most needed by the region of the western Balkans.
The new "Financial investment framework for western Balkans" will be run by the specially formed body of European Committee, European Investment Bank and Central European Bank, as well as countries of the Union.