Von der Leyen: Impressive progress by Montenegro and Albania, a strong message to the world about the attractiveness of the European offer

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated last night in Brussels that Montenegro and Albania have made impressive progress in the process of European integration, which should inspire other partners from the Western Balkans.

Following the European Union - Western Balkans summit, which Serbia did not attend for the first time, von der Leyen said in a written statement that “EU enlargement, for the first time in more than ten years, has become a realistic possibility”.

- I would like to commend the enormous progress made by Albania and Montenegro. What they have achieved is impressive. Their progress is an impressive source of inspiration for other Western Balkans partners and sends a strong message to the world about the attractiveness of the European offer. It is an offer of solidarity, opportunity, and stability. To turn this offer into reality, we are working intensively on gradual integration - von der Leyen said.

She noted that the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans serves this purpose as well, thanks to which the countries of the region are more integrated into the EU than any enlargement partners before them.

- Investment alone cannot generate sustainable growth. And reforms without resources cannot be fully implemented. That is why the Growth Plan combines the two: Reforms to unlock resources and resources to enable reforms. With this combination, the region already benefits from integration even before full membership. The development gap between the Western Balkans and the EU has for too long constrained investment, job creation, and opportunities. The Growth Plan directly addresses this with six billion euros in investments. And now we have six ambitious reform agendas - she added.

The President of the European Commission pointed out that the first concrete results are already visible and that the Western Balkans is expected to achieve growth of around three percent next year, which “reflects confidence in the European future of the region, the impact of reforms, and the benefits of closer economic integration with the EU”.

- And there is more to come. We have integrated our partners into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). This could save businesses and citizens up to 500 million euros per year. We are also saving time through our „green lanes“, which will strengthen supply chains, improve logistics, and cut transit times by up to 80 percent. With the Growth Plan, the region’s economy could double over the next decade - she said.

She added that the investment plan has so far mobilized 18 billion euros, including six billion euros in EU grants, and that more than 68 projects are being implemented across the region to finance key infrastructure in transport, energy, digital connectivity, and environmental protection.

- These investments make the region more competitive and better connected to the EU Single Market. Artificial intelligence is a good example: We are establishing a network of AI factories across the EU and opening them to the Western Balkans, with „antennae“ of AI factories in Serbia and North Macedonia. This will allow companies from across the region to connect to these factories and gain access to European AI infrastructure - von der Leyen noted.

She said that all of this is attracting private investment and added that during EU investment conferences in Albania and Montenegro, investment declarations from private investors worth more than four billion euros were secured.

Von der Leyen also expressed satisfaction at being able to announce that the EU is moving toward lifting punitive measures against Kosovo, following the peaceful transition of power in local governments in the north after the recent local elections, noting that 216 million euros in financial assistance are planned, of which 205 million euros will be disbursed at the beginning of next year.

She also stated that the Common Regional Market is “the fastest path to competitiveness, the most direct bridge to the EU Single Market, and the clearest proof that the region can act as one”.