Ohrid, 17 June 2022 (MIA) – Today, as we celebrate the fourth anniversary of the signature of the Prespa Agreement, it is important to underline that as Greece and North Macedonia could overcome their dispute and settle it with a common accord, we expect Bulgaria to step up its efforts and do the same, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi said in a video address at a panel “65 years after the Treaty of Rome: is Europe fully economically reconstructed and integrated?” as part of the Prespa Forum Dialogue in Ohrid on Friday. Várhelyi stressed that the Western Balkans belongs to Europe and the leaders of the European Union have unilaterally reaffirmed the EU’s explicit support for the European perspective of the region, adding that cooperation with Western Balkan partners is a geopolitical choice of the EU. “These are difficult and challenging times for our economies. First we were facing the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year we were hit by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. But the consequences of the war are visible beyond Ukraine and the entire region. Increased food insecurity, spiking energy prices and financial turmoil are challenges we are facing globally. Let me assure you, the Western Balkans remain our priority. This is the reason why we have included the Western Balkans into our policies to mitigate the current gas and food security crises. The Western Balkans will benefit from REPowerEU to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, for example by participating in the EU energy platform for voluntary common purchase of gas, LNG and hydrogen. We have also included the Western Balkans in the European food security crisis preparedness and response mechanism, to coordinate food security,” Várhelyi pointed out. The EU Commissioner added that the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans will mobilise up to EUR 30 billion over the next seven years, which could increase the region’s real GDP by over 3% until 2027, and will help to close the development gap with the EU and speed up integration. “The implementation of the Plan is in full speed. We have already endorsed the first 21 flagship investment projects with an overall total investment value of EUR 3.2 billion with EUR 1.1 billion in grants coming from IPA funds. We believe that with the acceleration of the Economic and Investment Plan we are moving in the right direction, strengthening connectivity and making our economies greener and more digital. This will help to reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels and counter disinformation in the region. The Plan will also give greater opportunities to youth, women and disadvantaged sectors of society to make our economies and our societies more resilient,” Várhelyi said in his video message at the Prespa Forum Dialogue in Ohrid.