Skopje, 1 July 2025 (MIA) -- Speaking at a news conference Tuesday in Skopje after the Western Balkans Leaders Meeeting on the EU's Growth Plan, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said 75% of the agreed reforms across the region were either implemented or ongoing, and she encouraged the leaders to intensify engagement on implementation of the remaining 25%.

Kos said the goal of the Western Balkans Leaders Meeting was to evaluate the progress so far "and agree on clear steps on how the Growth Plan will be further reinforced and how the EU accession will hence be accelerated."

"At the meeting, I passed the clear message: Use this window of opportunity. The geopolitics has changed and we are seeing real commitment for enlargement in the capitals of the EU.

"To build a strong Europe that takes control of its own future, we need all Europeans to work together, also with the countries from the Western Balkans.

"The Growth Plan brings tangible socioeconomic benefits to citizens of North Macedonia and the other Western Balkan countries before accession," she said. 

"Thus it is your responsiblility to implement it for the benefit of your citizens and businesses. Of course, the EU will help you," she added.

Kos said the EU planned to integrate the region into the European single market as well as into its policies on defense, security and preparedness even before the countries became EU members.

"At the last leaders summit, we talked about our plans. Now we have entered the implementation phase," she said.

As an example of concrete results achieved so far, she pointed to the SEPA payment system. "It makes payments much easier," she said.

"In simple terms, it means that a young entrepreneur, for instance in Skopje or Tirana, can receive payments from across Europe as easily as businesses in Vienna or Madrid." 

"Or take the green lines. We agreed on 11 priority crossing points and I am very happy to hear from the leaders that they are fully committed to taking this project forward" to cut border waiting times.

The enlargement commissioner also said meeting participants had discussed improving regional connections and welcomed the agreement with Bulgaria to work on Corridor VIII.

"This corridor is important not only for North Macedonia and Bulgaria. It is important for the whole region and for the EU," she said, adding that it was part of the EC's new Black Sea strategy of connecting the EU with central Asian states.

She also mentioned planned changes to regional legislation so free roaming would be introduced in the Western Balkans as of Jan. 1, 2026. "I am sure that North Macedonia will deliver. This is huge. It means a lot if your people and all people from the EU wil be able to communicate on the phone without additional charges," Kos said.

"We can achieve so much together with my team and together with the EU Delegation here in Skopje," she said.

The commissioner said she was fully committed to supporting the EU's partners in their endeavors and urged the leaders "to steer this process politically and also communicate publicly about our common success."

Kos also extended her condolences to the beraved in the Kochani fire. She pointed out that the country was still recovering from the national tragedy.

"Tragedies like Kochani remind us of what is most important in life. And this is family, friends, communities, people who are helping," she said, highlighting the solidarity shown from the EU toward candidate countries.

"So many other Europeans were by your side and helped in the past months," she said, adding that during her next visit to North Macedonia she would visit the injured people in Kochani. mr/

Фото: МИА