The EU will pledge almost EUR 150 mln for infrastructure, transport and energy projects in the Western Balkans that will connect the countries of the region, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said at a Western Balkans business forum in Paris Monday.
The potential of ties among the countries will be realised in full only if they implement all required reforms, a European Commission statement quoted Hahn as saying.
We have decided to set aside EUR 96 mln for three railway infrastructure projects in Serbia, Albania and Kosovo and we will also provide EUR 50 mln for environmental protection measures such as energy efficiency in residential buildings and smaller-scale hydro projects, Hahn said.
This demonstrates the seriousness of the EU promise to make available by 2020 a total of EUR 1 bln for co-funding on the connection agenda, he said.
Links can boost the region’s competitiveness by cutting corporate costs in transports of goods through the region, he said.
Source; SerbGov
