European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić are expected to discuss the Western Balkan country's reform agenda for the New Growth Plan for the region, among other topics.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Serbian President Alexander Vucic is on his way to Prague to meet with European Commission
00:05President Ursula von der Leyen, in a visit right after meeting with the French President
00:10Emmanuel Macron.
00:11The new growth plan for the Western Balkans is high on the agenda, built to bring a total
00:16of 6 billion euros to the region, including Serbia.
00:20The country has prepared a reform agenda necessary to receive funding, which is now being consulted
00:26at the European Commission.
00:49The European Commission explained to Euronews that financial support will depend on successful
00:55implementation of reforms.
00:59Certain conditions are always required of candidates and must respect democratic mechanisms,
01:04such as free and fair elections, media pluralism and independent judiciary.
01:11Belgrade and Pristina also have an additional prerequisite, the normalisation of their relations.
01:17Of the mentioned 6 billion in funding, 2 will be directly paid into the country's budgets,
01:43while 4 will be in loans.
01:47According to unofficial estimates, Serbia could receive 1 billion and 630 million euros.