The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, announced this Wednesday a financial aid of 500 million euros to the countries of the Western Balkans, to face the energy crisis, at the beginning of a trip to this region.
The amount will be allocated “to the entire region” for the necessary investments to obtain independence in the field of energy, stressed Ursula von der Leyen, without specifying the terms in which this aid will be delivered, at the beginning of a trip to that region that began in North Macedonia.
However, the president of the European Commission indicated that the investments will be for energy infrastructure.
This announcement comes at a time when energy prices are on the rise due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and as winter approaches.
North Macedonia will thus be able, as of January, to count on a budgetary support of 80 million euros, specified the president of the European Commission.
The support will help ease countries in the region, as North Macedonia produces only two-thirds of the electricity it needs annually.
“The energy and economic crisis caused by the war in Ukraine has united Europe. Only together can we cope with the lack of energy and food”, stressed the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski.
North Macedonia and most of the countries in the region are at different stages of their negotiations to join the EU.
Despite the duration of this process, more than a decade in some cases, the EU has repeatedly reiterated that the Western Balkans are part of the European family.
The slow pace of rapprochement with the EU has led to a rise in Euroscepticism in these countries, experts warn, paving the way for increased Russian influence in the region.
Von der Leyen’s visit to Skopje on Wednesday is his second visit to North Macedonia this year.
In July, the European leader addressed members of Parliament on the eve of the formal opening of EU accession negotiations.
Ursula Von der Leyen is also planning trips to Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania as part of her tour of the region.
Source: TSF
