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The European Parliament (EP) has started on Tuesday the procedure of approving the proposal of the European Commission (EC) for the plan of growth and reforms for the Western Balkans, which offers a total amount of 6 billion euros of additional financial assistance.
In order to make this plan official, inter-institutional agreement in the European Union (EU) is necessary, which also requires approval by the European Parliament. The Parliament is under pressure to approve this decision as soon as possible because in April it will hold the last plenary session with this composition, before the new EP elections in June.
On Tuesday, a legislative resolution proposal was also presented for the regulation for the establishment of the plan for reforms and economic growth. This was debated on the same day during a joint meeting of the EP committees for Foreign Policy and Budget.
The European Parliament, in addition to the conditions previously proposed by the Commission, has also requested additional measures, which would condition the use of financial resources from this plan, in order to better ensure the protection of the interests of the European Union.
Among the main conditions for the use of these tools are the rule of law, respect for human rights and respect for fundamental and democratic values.
The European Parliament has requested that, among other things, the use of the means be conditional upon the support of the EU's positions in the Foreign and Security Policy, including the sanctions against Russia.
"Another prerequisite will be adaptation to the Union's common foreign and security policy, including the adoption of restrictive measures against Russia, as well as the EU's requirements for visas for third countries," says the amendment proposed by the Parliament. European as an additional condition for using these tools.
This change proposal may have an effect mainly in the case of Serbia, as it is the only country in the Western Balkans region, which has not supported the EU sanctions against Russia. But, in order to include this in the conditions, it must also be accepted by the EU Council, where the member countries of the bloc decide.
Kosovo and Serbia will be specifically asked to engage constructively for the normalization of relations.
"The prerequisite will be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalization of relations between them in order to fully implement the relevant obligations arising from the Agreement on the road to normalization and the Annex for implementation, as well as all agreements from the past in dialogue and to engage in negotiations for the comprehensive agreement for the normalization of relations", says the proposal of the regulation.
The European Parliament has proposed to add a clarification that "clear measurable results and concrete results" are required.
According to this plan, the Western Balkans region has an additional 6 billion euros available for economic growth and EU reforms. These tools will have an added conditionality and will only be used if they are respected.
Of this amount, 2 billion will be in the form of non-refundable grants for the beneficiaries, while 4 billion will be favorable loans for which the EU would guarantee.
According to the proposal of the European Commission, half of the funds from the plan for growth in the Western Balkans region will go within the framework for investments, because the existing funds that are available are not considered sufficient to attract appropriate investments. The rest will go directly to the country's budget to finance some of the necessary reforms.
The European Commission believes that this plan will greatly change the Balkans and will be a generator for significant economic growth and will thus help the progress of these countries towards EU integration.
The European Parliament requests that it be made clear that the pre-accession instruments (IPA) remain the main tools to help the countries of the Western Balkans and that the tools from the plan for reforms and economic growth are only additional and not a replacement of these instruments. / REL
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