Skopje, 1 September 2025 (MIA) - The initial payment of funds in the amount of EUR 8 million has been approved by the European Commission, as part of the first tranche allocated for the Republic of North Macedonia through the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.

As per the EC decision, EUR 2.3 million grant funds and EUR 2 million in loans will be available through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), while EUR 3.7 million are intended as loan for direct budget support, the Ministry of European Affairs said in a press release.

The funds have been approved after Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani, in the capacity of National Coordinator for the Reform and Growth Facility, submitted the set of documents related to the Reform Agenda 2024-2027 due by December 2024 and February 2025.

The application encompassed reforms in several areas, such as public finance management, energy, business environment and rule of law.

According to the EC, two steps have been fully met: adoption of the Law on Public Internal Financial Control and amendments to the Law on Trading Associations, which accounts for 40 percent of the steps' realization and 50 percent of the funds. Regarding the outstanding steps, the EC said they have not been fully realized, with a 24-month grace period envisaged for their implementation, i.e. by December 2026. Upon their realization, additional funds out of the total EUR 17.1 million will be released, reads the press release.

MIA file photo