European Commission chief assures Western Balkans of the bloc's enlargement progress

TIRANA, Albania — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began a tour of the Western Balkan countries on Wednesday, assuring them that the enlargement of the trade bloc remained one of its priorities.

The Western Balkans countrie s — Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — are at different stages in their applications for EU membership. The countries have been frustrated by the slow pace of the process, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022 has propelled European leaders to push the six to join the bloc.

Von der Leyen started a regional tour with a visit to Tirana, which last week formally opened the first accession negotiations to transition from being a candidate to EU member. She will next head to Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Von der Leyen hailed Tirana’s “vision and patience and this is paying off.” “Albania is on track to join the European Union,” she said.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama acknowledged the much harder work ahead of complying with EU requirements, which he hopes will end in 2030 with Albania becoming a bloc member.

“There is something for which Albanians are not divided ... that our country, Albania's place is in the EU and that the future of our children will be built in the EU," said Rama.

Last year EU officials offered a 6-billion euro (about $6.48 billion) growth plan to the Western Balkan countries in an effort to double the region’s economy over the next decade and accelerate their efforts to the join the bloc. That aid is contingent on reforms that would bring their economies in line with EU rules.

“We opened the door to specific sectors in the single market of the European Union for our Western Balkan partners, companies. In turn, our partners in the Western Balkans are implementing important reforms to have a level playing field,” said von der Leyen.

The countries would be able to join the EU market in the areas of goods and services, road transport, energy, electricity, customs cooperation, e-commerce and cashless payments.

The Commission on Wednesday approved the reform agendas of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia following a greenlight from EU member states. That was a key step to allow payments under the growth plan upon completion of agreed reform steps.

“It’s a big leap forward towards the European Union,” von der Leyen said.

Albania will get a pre-financing package of 64 million euros ($69 million) by the end of the year and receive more than 920 million euros ($995 million) in total under the growth plan.

Starting from next year, Albania is expected to become part of the single euro payment area which will benefit its citizens and companies with a “faster, more secure and free” money transfer, according to von der Leyen.

Von der Leyen also assured the Western Balkan countries of continuous support in natural disasters, like the wildfires that engulfed Albania this summer. Brussels mobilized planes from Italy, Romania and Greece to assist local authorities in coping with the blazes.

“We are fighting this reality of the climate change with our best asset and this is European solidarity,” she said.