Brussels, 18 September 2024 (MIA) – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is hosting on Thursday a working lunch with the leaders of the six Western Balkan countries, discussing mutual relations and the implementation of the Growth Plan for the region, Spokesperson of the European Commission for neighborhood policy, enlargement and international partnerships, Ana Pisonero, said Wednesday. 

Pisonero noted that North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Montenegro's Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić have been invited to the lunch. 

As regards the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, Pisonero said the European Commission is currently finalizing the assessment of the submitted respective reform agendas of the Western Balkan countries, related to the socio-economic aspects and the area of ​​fundamental reforms.

Once the assessments are completed, member states will be consulted at the upcoming IPA Committee and in case of a positive assessment by the IPA Committee, the reform agendas will be approved, Pisonero noted, adding that this will be followed by the preparation for the first tranche payment from the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. 

During his visit to Brussels, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is to meet with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, and the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Gert Jan Koopman.

Mickoski is travelling to Brussels alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski and Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani. Mucunski will hold a meeting with outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and address a reception organized at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on the occasion of Independence Day - September 8.

Photo: MIA archive / screenshot