Brussels, 16 January 2025 (MIA) – Efforts are made to release pre-financing for North Macedonia as part of the Western Balkans Growth Plan as soon as possible, a European Commission spokesperson said. 

“The Commission services have received the request for pre-financing submitted by North Macedonia and is now finalising the procedural steps, which should allow the release of the pre-financing to take place as soon as possible in 2025,” the spokesperson said in a statement to MIA.

He mentioned that the Reform Agenda, covering both reforms in the fundamentals area and socioeconomic reforms, was submitted by North Macedonia in July and after assessing it, the Commission concluded it is in line with the objectives and requirements of the Facility.

“The Reform Agenda was approved on 23 October 2024 through a Commission Implementing Decision, following a positive opinion by the Member States [in the IPA III Committee]. To kick-start reforms, countries can request up to 7% in pre-financing. All 5 beneficiaries with approved Reform Agendas requested it. This includes North Macedonia,” the spokesperson said. 

The Western Balkans Growth Plan offers a roadmap to bring the economies of the Western Balkans closer to the European Union, he added.

“More specifically, it is EUR 6 billion in investments, and the principle is both investments and reforms, while it provides a gradual access to the Single Market, allowing citizens in Western Balkans to reap some early benefits of the EU integration,” the Commission spokesperson told MIA. 

EU Affairs Minister Orhan Murtezani on November 13, 2024 signed a pre-financing request to the European Commission in amount of EUR 52.5 million making North Macedonia the first Western Balkans country that took necessary steps to secure initial financing from the Reform and Growth Facility.

The European Commission’s Growth Plan aims at financing up to six billion euros, in the form of grants and loans under favourable conditions until 2027, that will double economic growth of the region in the next ten years. 

MIA file photo